Biological filtration Biological filtration may take place inside an organism, or the biological component may be grown on a medium in the material being filtered. Removal of solids, emulsified components, organic chemicals and ions may be achieved by ingestion and digestion, adsorption or absorption. Because of the complexity of biological interactions, especially in multi-organism communities, it is often not possible to determine which processes are achieving the filtration result. At the molecular level, it may often be by individual catalytic enzyme actions within an individual organism. The waste products of some organisms may subsequently broken down by other organisms to extract as much energy as possible and in so doing reduce complex organic molecules to very simple inorganic species such as water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
bIOlogIcal filTraTion BiolOgiCAl FilTraTion maY TaKe PlAce Inside An orgaNism, oR the biOlogical cOmponent maY BE GrowN oN a MediUM in tHe mATeriAL bEinG fIlterEd. removAl Of sOLids, emuLsifIed cOmponEnts, ORganic cHEMIcals aNd IOns MAY Be ACHieved By Ingestion and dIGeSTiON, AdsOrPtion or aBsorPtion. BecaUse of thE CompLexity OF bIoLogiCaL interactIOnS, especially in multi-oRgaNISM comMUnities, it is oFtEn not pOssIble To determine whIch proceSSeS Are aCHIeving thE fIltrAtiOn REsuLt. at the molecuLar leveL, it may OFtEN Be BY indIVIDuaL caTalytiC enzymE acTIons withiN an inDivIDUal OrGAnism. the wAstE prOductS of somE oRganiSmS may SubseqUeNtLy BroKen dowN By other ORgaNiSMs to extRaCt AS muCh enErgy aS PoSsIble And in so Doing rEduCe COmPlex OrganIc molEcules to VerY sImPle inorganiC SpeciEs such As WaTeR, CARboN dioxidE and niTROgen.