ASSOCIATED PRESS • May 17, 2021
The federal government has awarded more than $300,000 to a University of Maine engineering professor who is working to increase production of an environmentally friendly disinfectant. William DeSisto, a professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, is working with manufacturers on technology to increase local production of a bleach alternative made from salt, water and electricity. The substance, called hypochlorous acid, has been identified by the EPA as an effective disinfectant against the coronavirus.