Vattenbundet

Vattenbundet is a Swedish adjective used to describe something that is held together or maintained by water, or that exists in a state where water is bound to its structure or matrix. The term combines vatten (water) with bunden (bound) and is used across disciplines to indicate that water is not freely mobile within a substance but is held by adsorption, capillary forces, or chemical bonding.

In science and engineering, vattenbundet is often used to denote states of water within materials or systems rather than free, liquid water. In soil science and geology, it can refer to water retained in soil pores due to physical and chemical forces, especially in clay-rich or organic-rich soils where water is less available to plants even when the soil is not completely dry. In materials science, hydrated materials such as hydrogels or cementitious composites contain significant amounts of bound water, which influences mechanical properties, diffusion, and durability. In biology and medicine, water that is bound to biomolecules or surfaces contributes to the hydration state of tissues and can affect biochemical processes.

Usage and nuance: the term is descriptive and its precise meaning depends on context. It is not a single technical definition but a way to express that water is integral to the structure or function of a system rather than merely present as free moisture.

See also: moisture content, water binding, hydration, capillarity, porosity.