Collaboration: Carla Maffia
Although having a swimming pool at home means always having the possibility to cool off during the summer, keeping the water clean is a task that involves a lot of work. For this, substances such as chlorine are usually used, which can even cause irritation to the eyes or skin when submerged.
But if you want to opt for natural alternatives to purify the water in your pool, you can turn it into a “bio-pool” or ecological pool using “water sprouts”.
This is the name by which the species Pistia Stratiotes or Saneadora Plant is known, an aquatic species that has a proven use in the phytoremediation of contaminated water, soil and sediments.
Naturalist Carla Maffia points out that this species of aquatic plant is naturally distributed pantropically, being present in freshwater canals in almost all tropical and subtropical areas of the world. In some bibliographies it is even considered native to South America.
Carla also points out that: “In countries like Argentina, for example, you can find other native sanitizing species such as: saeta (Sagittaria montevidensis), reed (Schoenoplectus californicus), lagunilla (Alternanthera philoxeroides), spooner (Echinodorus macrophyllus), redondita de agua ( Hydrocotyle ranunculoides and H. bonariensis), yerba del bicho (Polygonum punctatum), camalotes (Pontederia cordata and P. rotundifolia), marsh daisy (Senecio bonariensis), along with various sedges, grasses (Paspalum distichum, Echinochloa helodes, Cortadera (Cortadera selloana), Lemna gibba (Lemna gibba), Willow Creole (Salix humboldtiana) and reeds, among others”.
What is phytoremediation?
This is how a natural decontamination method that uses plants, fungi or algae is known. The effect of these plants affect the soil, water and air.
The plants used are vascular, that is, they have roots, stems and leaves. They are characterized by having conductive vessels that make up their vascular system, through which nutrients and water circulate.
What is the action of these plants?
These plants can break down toxic waste from, for example, organics, debris, or unhealthy water; and act as natural filters cleaning the water of contamination.
What are the benefits and advantages of using plants to purify?
The purification method with plants allows to avoid or reduce the use of chemical products. Even choosing native species for this contributes to preserving or recovering natural ecosystems.
In addition, this method allows pollution to be reduced through an ecological solution, even turning out to be very effective, safe, profitable and versatile in terms of its application.
However, it is important to note that although plants can absorb or metabolize pollutants from the environment, they have their own limit. Therefore, if the contamination exceeds their own levels, they will not act as effectively.
If you liked this note, you can also learn how to make a homemade filter for swimming pools, or even how to heat the water, with hula hoops!
Also, if you don’t have a pool but want one, you can learn how to make one out of straw bales, pallets, or a dumpster.