Whitworth Students Create Product to Produce Cleaner Water for Millions

Three Whitworth seniors have more than just a vision of making the water supply safer for millions of people around the globe. They want to be a leader in the water purification industry and have created a bio-based, sustainable solution to help make that a reality.

Lance Dunn ’25, Darren Melville ’25 and Ty Patterson ’25 have formed a company called Boss Moss LLC. Dunn, a business management major, and Melville and Patterson, both biochemistry majors, knew they had something special when they joined forces. The group has developed a product of the same name, a genetically modified moss filter that not only removes arsenic from water but detoxifies it. While the filter removes all the arsenic and heavy metals, essential vitamins and nutrients remain.

According to the group’s research, more than 170 million people around the world drink water containing dangerous levels of arsenic in more than 70 countries and more than 24,000 deaths are attributed to arsenic poisoning every year. 

“No other solution on the market matches the level of biodegradability and sustainability our product offers,” Dunn says. “Moreover, we are confident in our ability to deliver it at a significantly lower cost compared to leading competitors.”

The group took first place last November when they unveiled Boss Moss at Whitworth’s Startup Weekend, a “Shark Tank” type contest where students compete against their peers and present their startup ideas to a panel of judges made up of local businesspeople.

Boss Moss hopes to initially distribute their product through non-governmental organizations that have already established channels of aid in heavily affected areas like South Asia and East Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. The company believes its low-cost, biodegradable solution will be available soon in the U.S. commercial market.

The trio has already applied for a patent. They are currently meeting with investors and are looking for financial support. For more information on Boss Moss, click here. 

About Whitworth University:

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. 

Contacts: 

Trisha Coder, director of media relations, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu