Natural materials to absorb water from environment

Abstract

In nature, there are a large number of materials to be discovered, all with different characteristics and for certain functions. In the case of plants, they are responsible for collecting, taking care and protect water naturally. In Mexico there are different plants of the cactus family, which catch and retain water for their existence, so some plants collect more volume of body water than they have. It is very important for this investigation. In Mexico and throughout the continent there is a common cactus or prickly pear that easily adapts to the environment and very rampant in this country, so that its study and analysis makes it one of the most important natural systems for this research, because 95% of it is water and the other 5% is organic material. Later, the common Maguey or agave plant is analyzed, which is important for the history of ancient Mexico, this long before the Spaniards arrived in America. The agave juice and whole plant were an important part of Mexican culture [1], even today is used in many regions and is an important part of the economy in this country. Last but not least is the barrel cactus plant, which surprisingly lets us see how natural systems build structural and formal elements in order to the creation and configuration of new materials that can significantly help to collect water.