Biomimicry examples in
Water Treatment

PolyGone Systems: Remove microplastics from the world's waters Microplastics are tiny, but they are a huge problem for our water.

Infinite Cooling developed fog harvesting technology inspired by the fog-harvesting beetle. Microscopic surface patterns collect water from fog without energy input, enabling water collection in arid regions.

• ✿Inspired by: Fog-harvesting beetle (Stenocara gracilipes)
• ⚡︎Function: Passive water collection from atmospheric moisture
• ▣Company: Infinite Cooling
• ◉Where: USA

Aquammodate harnesses diatom algae for water purification. Diatoms naturally filter and clean water while removing contaminants and accumulating nutrients, enabling low-cost, low-energy water treatment.

• ✿Inspired by: Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae class)
• ⚡︎Function: Water purification and nutrient removal
• ▣Company: Aquammodate
• ◉Where: Japan

This water amphitheatre mimics the Namibian fog-basking beetle's water harvesting mechanism, using hydrophilic/hydrophobic surfaces to condense atmospheric moisture into freshwater with 10x energy savings for desalination.

• ✿Inspired by: Namibian fog-basking beetle (Stenocara gracilipes)
• ⚡︎Function: Provide freshwater to coastal communities whilst creating public cultural space, without energy-intensive mechanical desalination.
• ▣Company: Grimshaw
• ◉Where: Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

Cactus spines collect water from morning fog by using a gradient of surface chemistry and microstructure from tip to base, directing water droplets toward the stem. Researchers are now incorporating this principle into building facade cladding panels that harvest atmospheric water in arid climates.

• ✿Inspired by: Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)
• ⚡︎Function: Collect and transport atmospheric water directionally without energy input
• ▣Company: MIT (Kyoo-Chul Park) / Xi'an Jiaotong University
• ◉Where: USA