HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE WATER PURIFYING PLANTS?
It is a well-known fact that plants are the air cleaners but how many of you were aware of the fact that plants clean the water as well? the water purifying plants.Plants play a vital role in maintaining a healthy environment. They are the key source of oxygen. They not only absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen in the water but also they absorb certain chemicals, nutrients, metals and bacteria from the water hence creating a safe environment for aquatic life.In the 21st century along with many new researches it has been proven that plants are more efficient in removing the water pollution as compared to many chemicals. Chemicals that are being used to clean water have a number of drawbacks as well but plants can provide a clean source of water without any disadvantage.Here are some of the plants that are being used for water filtration purposes.
PLANTS THAT REMOVES METALS FROM THE WATER:
Since water cleaning plants were getting a lot of attention many researchers have stepped on the ground to collect more information about plants that purify water. Studies have been made to know about the different roles of certain plants since then. After a number of experiments some plants proved to be very effective in removing heavy metals from the water.
FUNARIA HYGROMETRICA REMOVE LEAD;
The RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) japan, in 2017, studied funaria hygrometrica, a moss and revealed that this plant can help to eliminate lead from the water because of a certain kind of acid present in its cell wall.
WARNSTOFIA FLUITAN HELPS TO CLEAN ARSENIC:
In the same year another research was made in Sweden’s stockholm university that revealed that another kind of moss named Warnstorfia fluitans can remove arsenic from the water. This special plant grows in Swedish wetlands contaminated with arsenic which somehow flows from the mining operations and become a part of water. Because of this plant about 80% of arsenic was removed from the water. The arsenic in the water is not absorbed by the plant but instead it becomes a part of plant tissue making aquatic life safer.
CATTAIL PLANT:
Cattail plants which belong to the family Typhaceae found growing in the temperate or cold regions of northern or southern areas are also considered to be water purifying plants. This plant grows in fresh or slightly brackish water and is known for removing certain types of metal such as lead, zinc, cadmium and nitrated from the water.
SOFT RUSH:
Juncus effusus commonly known as soft rush or common rush is an herbaceous flowering plant. Studies from the Washington State University Extension shows that soft rushes have the abilities to remove metals such as zinc, copper and cobalt from the water.
BACTERIA REMOVING PLANTS:
Mentha aquatic also called water mint belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae is a flowering plant. Water mint can grow up to 6 inches high with light purple flowers. However this plant first has to be grown in a container and the transfer to the water that needs to be clean. This plant has the properties to remove bacteria such as E. coli or salmonella from the water purifying plants..
WATER PURIFICATION BY USING PINE TREE:
Reading at the above heading it is obvious that we will not throw the whole pine tree in the water to get rid of toxins and bacteria. Xylem of the pine is used for this purpose. Xylem itself works as the purifier for the plant. It transports water and nutrients absorbed from the roots toward the leaves. The researchers first took a section from the pine branches separated from their barks. After this one end of the branch was covered with a piece of plastic. The dirty water will flow through the branch in this way bacteria present in the water is removed.
PLANTS THAT CAN CLEAN PONDS.
If you are a happy owner of ponds in your garden then it is very necessary to keep it clean. Water plants such as water lilies and iris can help to purify the water. Water lilies are best known to remove heavy metals from the water. They not only remove harmful substances from the water but also they provide shade to the fishes and also prevent algal growth.Submerge plants such as Cabomba and hornwort are effective to eliminate water pollutants and they also oxygenate the water hence proving to be beneficial to aquatic life.Plants are a very important source of oxygen. They are the most essential part of our ecosystem. They are capable of maintaining a healthy environment. It is a pity that even today we take plantations for granted. It is the best natural source for air and water purification hence more and more methods of water purification through plants should be adopted and the purification through chemicals should be abandoned as it has many side effects.