Pure Water

Molecular Biosciences and BioEngineering alumnus Liangjie Dong has been making headlines thanks to his latest invention, a paper filter that purifies water of lead, arsenic, viruses, and other contaminants. The Mesopaper filter, made from bamboo fiber, contains ceramic particles and minuscule iron needles to trap heavy metals and bacteria and to deactivate viruses. 

Dong is CEO and chief scientist of Mesofilter. The filter is the next step in a process he’s been working on since he was doing his doctoral work at CTAHR, but it’s even cheaper and more user-friendly than some of his earlier products, such as the MicroNose filtration system, which required more training to use. This technology could have far-reaching uses, from camping to purifying unsafe tap water to large-scale wastewater-treatment plants—the filters can even purify the air, and so could be useful where there are contaminants that are unsafe to breathe.

Read the UH news release or BusinessWire article.