Tissues in fresh wood filter E. coli from drinking water

By on March 13, 2014
Xylem tissue in Lamium species (Credit: Micropix, via Wikimedia Commons)

Xylem tissue in Lamium species (Credit: Micropix, via Wikimedia Commons)


Researchers have found a potential alternative to expensive carbon filters in the form of sapwood, International Science Times reported.

A new study published in PLOS ONE shows that a small piece of fresh sapwood can filter over 100 percent of E. coli bacteria from water. Sapwood collected from pine branches contains xylem tissue, which contributes to its filtering capabilities.

A simple filtration system composed of sapwood and plastic tubing can produce of to 4 liters of drinking water per day. Fresh sapwood must be used, as dry sapwood lacks filtration.

Rohit Karnik, one of the study’s authors, suggested that other plants may be suitable as filters, and that some may function even better than sapwood.

Image: Xylem tissue in Lamium species (Credit: Micropix, via Wikimedia Commons)

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