Optimal Plants For Water Purification

Overview

Optimal Plants for Water Purification Juliette Cantu and Marilu Cisneros Pioneer School Delano Union School District Abstract Have you ever wondered if plants could do more than just clean the air? Turns out certain types of plants can purify polluted water through a process called phytoremediation. We researched how Duckweed, Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce, Elodea, and Scarlet Temple can purify polluted water in their own unique way, but we wanted to find out which plant was the most effective. So first, we bought the items we did not have: plants, containers, polluted water, and pH strips. Then we got to work by filling each container with 2 cups of the polluted water and pouring 1 cup of white vinegar, placing each plant in a different container (leaving three containers empty for the control), placing them indoors, and checking the pH level weekly. The results show that Water Hyacinth and Elodea purified the polluted water more effectively than Water Lettuce, Duckweed, and Scarlet Temple. Over 2 weeks, the Water Hyacinth pH level was at an average of 4.66, as was Elodeas', while the Water Lettuce, Duckweed, and Scarlet Temple’s pH level was at an average of 4.33. All in all, our hypothesis was incorrect because we had thought Duckweed would purify the polluted water more efficiently, but it turns out that the Water Hyacinth and Elodea purified the polluted water best.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Plant Biology (Junior Division) · Entry J-18-01

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