Clearing the Air

Clearing theAir

Biology and Chemistry teacher Daniel Hissong has always been passionate about science, but he never expected to be developing a technology to fight a pandemic.

Hissong started working with Tech-UV and Plasma Biosecurity in October, joining a mechanical engineer and a fabricator. Together, they are creating an air filter that aims to reduce the number of coronavirus particles found in the air.

The company is working off of an experiment that shows a particular ionic density will inactivate coronavirus particles at a 94% success rate.

“This was tested using a decommissioned aircraft that was contaminated with the virus, then the [cabin] was ionized using the tech that we are studying,” Hissong said.

Tech-UV and Plasma Biosecurity is developing wall-mounted filters, filters that can be installed in a building’s HVAC system and a cabinet will disinfect its contents with UV light. The company has started installing its products in businesses around the Lawrence area.

This project has been funded by the Small Business Technology Transfer program, a program run through the federal government that funds small businesses developing innovative technology. The goal of the grant is to eventually commercialize the product in development.

Travis Kohler, one of Hissong’s partners, is optimistic about the new technology researchers have been developing to help end the pandemic.

“We have never found ourselves in a pandemic before with the scientific knowledge that we presently have,” Kohler said. “We expect [this technology] will be a part of nearly every commercial/public building in the future.”

Hissong and his partners are planning on collaborating with the University of Kansas and increasing the practicality of their technology. Tech-UV and Plasma Biosecurity is still waiting for laboratory testing and approval.

Hissong understands why people may not have heard about his technology.

“I think people are more focused on problems versus solutions nowadays,” said Hissong. “It’s just easy to get distracted with all the things going on with our world.”

PROFILE

Science teacher develops technology to help fight COVID

pages by Ella Marshall story by Nisa Khosh photos submitted by Daniel Hissong

Image with the white Air Scout over the bathroom door is in J&S coffee. “The air filter is a black box that’s meant to inactivite SARS-CoV-2.”