Dr. Robert Liang, AquaHacking ’18 alum, adapting solution for use in hospitals in light of COVID-19

Dr. Robert Liang, founder of WaterPuris, is keeping busy with a couple of projects that are contributing to the fight against COVID-19. Dr. Liang is working directly with Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, ON, and a non-profit on developing a reusable N95 mask and supplying kits of PPE and peroxide disinfectant to frontline workers. The peroxide disinfectant he is helping provide to frontline workers is similar to a component of the solution he developed with WaterPuris through the AquaHacking Challenge in 2018.

“The non-profit group I am working with is fundraising and also getting donations of masks and face shields that they send out to hospitals throughout Ontario,” said Dr. Liang, “Also, in response to COVID-19, I am working on adapting some of the technology developed by WaterPuris to create on-site sanitization generation systems, to allow hospitals to have access to a reliable source without have to rely on getting liquid chemical sanitizers from elsewhere.”

“I think this pandemic will change the water industry and other sectors at least in the short term so this pivot could be preferable for the business,” added Dr. Liang.

Dr. Robert Liang recently participated in the 2020 Lake Winnipeg AquaHacking Challenge Kick-Off event as an ambassador of the AquaHacking Alumni community.

WaterPuris was established in the 2018 AquaHacking Challenge and provides solutions to pressing water contamination problems that impact our environmental well-being and health. WaterPuris is leveraging recent advances in materials science to improve water and wastewater treatment processes for our end-users.