Science Nation: Cactus Flesh Cleans Up Toxic Water
University of South Florida engineering professor Norma Alcantar and her team are using the Prickly Pear Cacti to clean up oil and other toxins from water. With support from the National Science Foundation, Alcantar has spent the last few years confirming something that her grandmother told her years ago – that cacti can purify water. The objectives of this research are to develop a water purification system based on an economically feasible method of water purification.
Media Details
Runtime: 2 minutes 30 seconds
- Topic: History, Science
- Subtopic: Conservation, Environmental Issues, Inventions, Plants
- Grade/Interest Level: 7 - 12
- Standards:
- Release Year: 2009
- Producer/Distributor: National Science Foundation
- Series: Science Nation
- Report a Problem
Related Media
Science Nation: Doppler on Wheels--The Biggest 'Dish' on the Road
Science Nation: Testing the Waters--1,4-Dioxane in North Carolina's Cape Fear River Basin
Science Nation: Hydraulic Fracturing--Using Scientific Methods to Evaluate Trade-Offs
Science Nation: Giving Robots and Prostheses the Human Touch
Science Nation: CASA Radar Tracks Tornadoes
Science Nation: Biophotonics Poised to Make Major Breakthroughs in Medicine
Science Nation: Off the Water Grid--Energy Efficient and Sustainable
Science Nation: Could a "Thinking Cap" Help Us Learn?
Science Nation: Arctic Soils Key to Future Climate
Science Nation: Hunting for the WIMPS of the Universe