water-purification
Water purification is the process of removing harmful chemical and biological contaminants from water to make it suitable for specific applications. In plant science, water quality directly influences plant growth, nutrient uptake, and experimental integrity, making purified water essential for controlled research environments and optimal cultivation. Additionally, plants are increasingly studied for their role in phytoremediation—using botanical organisms to absorb, filter, and transform water contaminants, offering sustainable approaches to water treatment.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-02-18
Natural biofilms made of microorganisms and algae can effectively clean polluted water by breaking down and absorbing contaminants, offering an inexpensive, nature-based solution for restoring contaminated rivers and water systems.
Periphytic biofilms can remove contaminants even at very low concentrations due to their extensive adhesion to solid surfaces in water systems
Biofilms employ multiple contaminant removal mechanisms including sorption, bioaccumulation, biodegradation, and biotransformation
These biofilms simultaneously support river ecosystem health through carbon and nutrient cycling while performing self-purification functions