filtration
n.the process of passing a liquid or gas through a special material to remove dirt or solid pieces. You use this to make water clean or to separate different materials.
n.the mechanical or physical operation used for the separation of solids from fluids by interposing a medium through which only the fluid can pass. Often used in industrial, chemical, or biological contexts.
“The water needs filtration before it is safe to drink.”
“The city's new filtration plant removes microscopic pollutants from the reservoir to ensure high-quality tap water.”
“Advanced membrane filtration techniques allow for the desalination of seawater, providing a critical source of potable water in arid coastal regions where natural springs are scarce.”
Uncountable when referring to the general process; countable when referring to a specific method or instance of the process.
“In very dry air, fine particles can stay suspended longer and become more electrostatically "sticky," while higher humidity can change how particles clump, settle and move through a filtration system.”
“Filtration can remove protozoa but must be designed and operated correctly.”
From French filtration.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.