What does hydrophobic mean?

Hydrophobic refers to the property of a substance or organism that repels water. In biological terms, hydrophobic molecules or organisms do not mix well with water and tend to avoid it. This characteristic is significant in various contexts, particularly in the study of microbial behavior and environmental interactions.

For instance, many microbial cells and membranes have hydrophobic components that help stabilize their structure and function in aquatic environments. Understanding hydrophobicity is essential in microbial remediation because it impacts how these microbes interact with water and form biofilms or aggregates.

The other options do not accurately describe the term hydrophobic. An organism that loves water or thrives underwater would be described as hydrophilic rather than hydrophobic. Similarly, the ability to absorb water refers to a hydrophilic character and does not align with the definition of being hydrophobic.