What describes the process where undesirable materials stick to a filtration medium's surface?

Adsorptive filtration is the process where undesirable materials adhere to the surface of a filtration medium. This is a crucial mechanism in various filtration systems, particularly in water treatment, where contaminants in the water are attracted to and held by the filter material. This adhesion occurs due to physical and chemical interactions and is essential for improving the quality of water by removing unwanted particles, impurities, and microorganisms.

In the context of water filtration, the effectiveness of adsorptive filtration depends on the characteristics of both the contaminants and the filter medium. Different materials, like activated carbon, are designed to maximize this adsorption effect, thus enhancing the filter's ability to improve water quality.

In contrast, other choices like filtration enhancement, water purification, and reverse osmosis refer to different processes or methods of treating water and do not specifically describe the mechanism of materials sticking to a medium's surface. While they are all relevant to water treatment, they do not encapsulate the specific action of adsorption that is fundamental to adsorptive filtration.