$600,000.00 US

                                 PROMISSORY NOTE

Charleston, South Carolina July 26, 1996

     FOR VALUE RECEIVED, TRICO ENVIROMETRICS, INC., a South Carolina corporation
(the 'debtor"),  unconditionally  promises to pay to the order of ENVIROMETRICS,
INC.,  a  South  Carolina  corporation  (the  "Note holder") without  offset  or
deduction,  at its  office  at  9229  University  Boulevard,  Charleston,  South
Carolina  (29406),  or,  at such  other  place as the  holder  of this  Note may
designate, in lawful money of the United States of America, the principal sum of
SIX HUNDRED  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  ($600,000,00  US), or so much as may be advanced
hereunder and unpaid,  together with interest on the unpaid principal balance of
such sum from the date hereof at the rate and on the terms hereinafter  provided
in this Promissory Note (this "Note").

     The Debtor authorizes the Note holder to maintain in its customary manner a
computer  generated schedule of the amount of all disbursements of principal and
all payments of principal and interest.  In the absence of manifest  error,  the
endorsements  on the schedule shall be presumptive  evidence of the  outstanding
balance of this Note;  provided,  however,  the failure to maintain the schedule
shall not limit or affect the obligation of the Debtor on this Note.

     Principal. The principal balance shall be paid in 66 monthly installments.

     Interest.  Interest on the unpaid  principal  balance  hereof  shall accrue
monthly  and be  payable  monthly  on the  15th day of each  month.  The rate of
interest shall accrue monthly on the unpaid principal balance of this Note shall
be equal to 7.0 %. Such interest  shall be  compounded  monthly and paid for the
actual number of months elapsed.

     Adjusted  to  Principal  Amount,  The Debtor and the  initial  Note  holder
acknowledge and agree that the face principal  amount of this Note is their best
estimate of the net amount owed by the Debtor to the initial  Note holder on the
date of this Note.  The Debtor and the  initial  Note  holder  agree that within
thirty  days  after the date of this Note,  they will use their best  efforts to
determine the actual amount owed by the Debtor to the initial Note holder on the
date of this Note and to agree on such amount.  Upon the agreement of the Debtor
and initial Note holder or, if required,  determination by an arbitrator,  as to
the correct amount,  the principal  amount  outstanding  under the Note shall be
debited or credited as appropriate, effective as of the date of this Note.

     No Other Advances.  The Debtor  understands and agrees that the Note holder
is under no obligation to make any advances not specifically referenced herein.

     Security.  This Note is secured by a Stock Pledge Agreement  between Andrew
C. Gillette and the Note holder and a Security  Agreement between the Debtor and
the Note holder, both dated as of the date hereof,  reference to which is hereby
made for a description of the collateral  provided for thereunder and the rights
of the  parties  thereto  with  respect  to such  collateral.  This Note is also
secured by an Unconditional Guaranty Agreement of Andrew C. Gillette and Deborah
B. Gillette in favor of the Note holder,  dated as of the date hereof  Together,
the  Stock  Pledge  Agreement,  the  Security  Agreement  and the  Unconditional
Guaranty Agreement are hereinafter referred to as the "Security Documents".

     Default and Acceleration.  The happening of any one of the following events
shall  constitute a default under this Note:  (1) the failure of the Debtor,  or
any endorser or any guarantor "Party") to make within ten (10) days of the date
due, any installment or other payment  described  herein,  whether of principal,
interest, late charges or otherwise;  (2) the failure of any Party to observe or
perform any covenant,  condition or undertaking contained herein, subject to any
applicable notice and cure periods; (3) the occurrence of any uncured default or
event of  default  under  this Note or any of the  Security  Documents;  (4) the
suspension of payment by a Party of its obligations,  or an admission by a Party
in writing of its  inability to pay its debts  generally as they become due; (5)
the making of an assignment by a Party for the benefit of creditors or a trustee
or  receiver  of  the  Party;  (6)  the  commencement,  whether  voluntarily  or
involuntarily,  or any  proceeding  involving  a  Party  under  any  bankruptcy,
reorganization,  insolvency,  readjustment  of debt,  marshaling  of assets  and
liabilities,  dissolution or liquidation  law or statute of the United States or
of any state; (7) the sale or transfer of all or substantially  all of a Party's
assets or the merger or consolidation of a Party with any other entity;  (8) the
failure of Andrew C. Gillette to hold all of the issued and outstanding stock of
Debtor, (9) the payment,  without the Note holder written consent, to Andrew C.
Gillette,  of annual  compensation,  in aggregate  in excess of $120,000,  or to
Andrew C. Gillette, combined with any of his family members or other affiliates,
of annual  compensation,  in aggregate in excess of $200,000 (10) the payment by
the Debtor, without the Note holder written consent, of any dividend.

     Upon the happening of any such default,  the Note holder obligation to make
advances  shall  automatically  terminate,  the rate of  interest  on the unpaid
balance hereof shall be increased to the announced prime rate of BB&T plus three
percent,  and this Note  shall,  at the sole option of the Note  holder,  become
immediately  due and payable  without  further notice to or demand on any Party.
Thereupon,  the Note holder shall have the right, immediately and without notice
to any  Party  or  further  action  by it,  to  set-off  against  this  Note all
obligations  for money or money's  worth owed by the Note holder in any capacity
to any Party, whether or not due and to exercise all rights and remedies granted
under this Note, the Security Documents, or applicable law.

     Right of Anticipation.  The Debtor reserves the right to anticipate payment
hereof in whole or in part, at any time or times, without penalty.

     Covenants  and  Conditions.  In the event the Debtor fails to fully pay any
installment of principal or interest or otherwise  fails to make any payment due
under this Note within ten (10) days of its due date,  the Debtor  agrees to pay
the Note holder a late charge of five percent (5%) of such payment.

     The Parties,  individually  and  collectively  hereby:  waive  presentment,
demand,  protest and notice of dishonor;  waive the benefit of all homestead and
similar exemptions as to this Note; proceed against any other Party or person or
any property  securing this Note and agree that their liability  hereunder shall
not be affected or impaired by the release or  discharge of any other Party from
liability  hereunder,  the release or discharge of any collateral  securing this
Note or by any  failure,  neglect or omission of the Note holder to exercise any
remedies of set-off or otherwise that it may have or by any  determination  that
any  security  interest  or lien taken by the Note holder to secure this Note is
invalid or unperfected; subordinate any and all rights against the Debtor to the
payment of this Note, whether by subrogation, agreement or otherwise, until this
Note is paid in full; agree to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by
the Note  holder  in  connection  with the  enforcement  of this  Note,  and the
collection  of the  indebtedness  evidence  hereby,  and the  collection  of any
judgment rendered hereon, and/or the preservation or disposition of any property
or  collateral  securing  the  payment  hereof,  and/or the defense of any claim
arising out of, or in any way  related  to, this Note or either of the  Security
Documents or any other instrument securing this Note or related to the making of
the obligations  evidenced hereby,  including,  without  limitation,  reasonable
attorney's  fees  if  this  Note is  placed  in the  hands  of an  attorney  for
collection,  or if the Note holder  finds it necessary to secure the services or
advice of an attorney with regard to collection  hereof or the  preservation  or
disposition of any property or collateral securing this Note,

     Any failure by the Note holder to exercise any right hereunder shall not be
construed  as a waiver of the right to exercise  the same or any other rights at
any time.

     Miscellaneous Provisions.  The term "Note holder" used herein shall include
any future holder of this Note.  This Note shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of South Carolina.  Whenever possible each provision of
this Note shall be  interpreted  in such a manner as to be  effective  and valid
under  applicable  law, but if any provision of this Note shall be prohibited by
or invalid under such law, such provision  shall be ineffective to the extent of
such  prohibition  or  invalidity,  without  invalidating  the remainder of such
provision or the remaining provisions of this Note. This Note shall apply to and
bind each Party's heirs,  personal  representatives,  successors and assigns and
shall inure to the benefit of the Note holder, successors and assigns.

     Substituted  Service of Process.  Should the Debtor ever fail to maintain a
registered  agent in the state of South Carolina the Debtor hereby  appoints the
clerk  of the  South  Carolina  Corporation  Commission  as its  agent  for  the
acceptance of  substituted  service of process upon it, and it is understood and
agreed that each Party hereby subjects itself to the in personam jurisdiction of
any duly  constituted  federal  or state  court  located  in  Charleston,  South
Carolina,  wherein  any action may be brought by the holder of this Note for the
enforcement thereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Note to be executed, in
its name and behalf by its duly authorized officer as of the day, month and year
first above written.

TRICO ENVIROMETRICS. INC.

By:

Seen and Agreed:
Andrew C. Gillette, Guarantor