A TECHNIQUE perfected in York using crushed crab, prawn and scampi shells to purify water has been given £20,000 by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Carafiltration Limited, which began life at the University of York, received the award after help with an application from Business Link York and North Yorkshire.

The money will be used to expand the uses of the powder made from food industry waste products to remove odours and toxic gases from industrial and agricultural emissions.

Until now, the powder has been used to dispose of contaminants in water, ranging from pesticides and sheep dip, to dyes and heavy metals.

Dr Ashley Wilson, of the university's chemistry department, who formulated the compound six years ago, will continue his experiments at the university while Robin Hurd, managing director and co-founder of the company, operates from his home at Levisham Hall, near Pickering.

This is the second time that Business Link York and North Yorkshire has steered the venture towards investment.

It helped Carafiltration to win a £50,000 DTI grant for first stage research and development,

But Roger Benson, Business Link's advisor, recognised that the two-man venture now also fitted the criteria for a DTI micro-grant.

Mr Benson said: "While Business Link doesn't provide financial support to businesses, we have access to information about financial support for companies that are showing outstanding innovation in their products and the processes they hope to develop."

Mr Hurd said: "Our company and its ecologically-friendly technology could make a significant contribution to building a cleaner and greener environment globally.

"Our product is unique and one of only a few examples in the world of a waste food material being diverted from costly landfill and subsequently being used as a raw material for a valuable environmental clean up process."

The money has enabled the company to trial the powder in food plants in the UK and to patent the technology in the UK, Europe and North America.