UMaine Works To Head Off Future Disinfectant Shortages
July 6, 2021
Chemical engineers from the University of Maine are working to develop an effective, low cost disinfectant on-site.
Chemical engineers from the University of Maine are working to address the supply chain vulnerabilities that created a critical shortfall of sanitizing products at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an article from Bangor Daily News. The team is reportedly exploring a way to develop an effective disinfectant that can be produced on-site at a low cost.
According to the article, team member William DeSisto, professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, is working with Maine manufacturers to create machines that can efficiently and cheaply produce hypochlorous acid on-site. Hypochlorous acid is made using saltwater and electricity and has been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an effective disinfectant against SARS-CoV-2. The rub is that it can be inefficient to produce. The new production method may benefit places like wastewater treatment plants that require large amounts of disinfectant.
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