Which of the following plant material is an efficient water imbibant

Options

(a) lignin
(b) pectin
(c) agar
(d) cellulose

Correct Answer:

agar

Explanation:

Adsorption of water by a substance (solids-colloids) is known as imbibition. Proteins, agar, starch etc are imbibants. Agar can absorb 99 times more water than that of its weight. Cellulose, lignin, pectin have comparatively much less power of imbibition.