Simple tree bark filters a surprising 99% of E.coli from contaminated water

Sometimes low-tech solutions make the most sense, particularly in developing countries with limited access to affordable technology. It often happens these same countries experience chronic water shortages, so MIT researchers designed a brilliant solution that relies on nature to clean up after itself. It turns out certain kinds of bark rival cilantro’s ability to scrub contaminated water clean of harmful bacteria. In an experiment, they found sapwood is capable of eliminating 99 percent of E.coli bacteria. The same properties that allow bark to transport sap from a tree’s roots to its crown traps bacteria and other particles over 20 nanometers in size.

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