Effectiveness of plants for passive removal of particulate matter is low in the indoor environment

Budaniya, Mukesh; Aakash, C.

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109384

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Potted H. helix also removed residual formaldehyde (Setsungnern et al) 2017 Benzene 500 ppm C.comosum Roots wrapped in tissue paper and aluminium foil 15.6 L 31.37% removal under 1:1 LED light 24.75% removal under fluorescent light Benzene removal by plants was best under LED light, helping plants produce more brassinosteroids to degrade benzene and utilize it as a carbon source (Hörmann et al) 2018 Toluene, 2-ethylhexanol 20.0 mg/m 3 (Toluene) and 14.6 mg/m 3 (2-ethylhexanol) D. maculata, S. wallisii and A. densiflorus Undisclosed 240 L 1.4 – 1.5 L h −1 m −2 Specifically looked at aerial plant part removal rather than the whole system. Concluded aerial plant parts have no major impact on chamber air quality (Teiri et al) 2018 Formaldehyde 0.66 – 16.4 mg/m 3 C. elegans Loamy soil 375 L 1.47 mg/m 2 /h Substantial contribution of soil and roots for formaldehyde removal, attributed to microorganisms (Budaniya and Rai) 2022 Particulate matter 350 – 750 µg/m 3 H.splendens, C.macrocarpa, A.heterophylla, P.orientalis, P.roebelenii, E.purpureum, D.reflexa, S.trifasciata, E.aureum, F.retusa, C. variegatum Undisclosed 210 L CADRs; 0.002 ± 0.004 m 3 /h (needle leave plants) 0.084 ± 0.009 m 3 /h (broad-leaved plants Significantly lower CADRs for passive plant systems compared to filter-based purifiers (170–800 m 3 /h). Concluded that passive plant systems cannot compete with conventional air purifiers, large quantiti...…”

Section: Plants As a Phytoremediation Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the vast number of static chamber trials have provided knowledge regarding the efficacy of potted plants to remove VOCs, generalising their results to real in-situ indoor air concentrations within larger rooms is confounded (Budaniya and Rai 2022 ; Llewellyn and Dixon 2011 ). Budaniya and Rai ( 2022 ) provides results highlighting the inefficiency of potted plants to filter indoor ambient PM, significantly lower removal rates were produced by the passive plant systems tested compared to commercial filter-based air filters. The authors concluded that an unreasonably large quantity of plants would be required to obtain equivalent particle removal rates to conventional filters.…”

Section: Plants As a Phytoremediation Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phytoremediation for the indoor environment: a state-of-the-art review

Matheson

Fleck

Irga

et al. 2023

Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol

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Poor indoor air quality has become of particular concern within the built environment due to the time people spend indoors, and the associated health burden. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off-gassing from synthetic materials, nitrogen dioxide and harmful outdoor VOCs such benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylene penetrate into the indoor environment through ventilation and are the main contributors to poor indoor air quality with health effects. A considerable body of literature over the last four decades has demonstrate the removal of gaseous contaminants through phytoremediation, a technology that relies on plant material and technologies to remediate contaminated air streams. In this review we present a state-of-the-art on indoor phytoremediation over the last decade. Here we present a review of 38 research articles on both active and passive phytoremediation, and describe the specific chemical removal efficiency of different systems. The literature clearly indicates the efficacy of these systems for the removal of gaseous contaminants in the indoor environment, however it is evident that the application of phytoremediation technologies for research purposes in-situ is currently significantly under studied. In addition, it is common for research studies to assess the removal of single chemical species under controlled conditions, with little relevancy to real-world settings easily concluded. The authors therefore recommend that future phytoremediation research be conducted both in-situ and on chemical sources of a mixed nature, such as those experienced in the urban environment like petroleum vapour, vehicle emissions, and mixed synthetic furnishings off-gassing. The assessment of these systems both in static chambers for their theoretical performance, and in-situ for these mixed chemical sources is essential for the progression of this research field and the widespread adoption of this technology.

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Section: Plants As a Phytoremediation Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plants As a Phytoremediation Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoremediation for the indoor environment: a state-of-the-art review

Matheson

Fleck

Irga

et al. 2023

Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Moreover, this photosynthetic process acts as a crucial regulator of temperature and humidity balance in the atmosphere (Dominici et al, 2021). Clear Air Delivery Rate (CADR) is often used to evaluate indoor air purifying systems (Rai, 2022). It shows the indoor air-cleaning potential of a standalone device.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It shows the indoor air-cleaning potential of a standalone device. However, many studies use CADR as an index to determine the effect of a single potted plant on clearing air (Budaniya and Rai, 2022;Mata et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the Particulate Matter and Carbon Dioxide Reduction of Four Broad-leaved Evergreen Plants

Bui,

Jeong,

Kim

et al. 2024

J. People Plants Environ

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Background and objective: Since people spend 70-80% of their time indoors, the quality of indoor air has become a crucial factor in overall health. Therefore, poor indoor air quality can have significant adverse effects on our well-being. Common indoor air pollutants are particulate matter (PM) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Plants can remove PM and CO2 through the photosynthesis process and leaf surfaces, and regulate the temperature and humidity of the air. By analyzing the PM and CO2 reduction of four broad-leaved evergreen plants, this study aims to provide data for air purification in indoor spaces.Methods: The four different plant species (Neolitsea sericea (Blume) Koidz., Coffea arabica L., Photinia glabra(Thunb.) Franch. and Sav., and Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam.) were selected for this study. Mosquito coils and a CO2 cylinder were the primary sources of PM and CO2. These pollutants were injected into a closed acrylic chamber with plants, and the air quality within the chamber was monitored for a duration of five hours. The plants' effectiveness in reducing carbon dioxide was evaluated through the clean air delivery rate (CADR), while their ability to reduce PM was assessed by analyzing the PM reduction rate. Photosynthetic rates and leaf area were also measured to determine the correlation between air pollution removal and these factors.Results: The ability to remove PM and CO2 varied among plants. Plants with higher rates of photosynthesis were more effective in reducing PM and CO2 than those with lower rates. Among the four plant species, C. arabica and P. glabra were more effective in removing PM and CO2 than the other species. The chamber containing plants exhibited higher humidity and lower temperatures compared to the chamber without plants.Conclusion: These findings suggest that plants can play a significant role in improving indoor air quality. Not only do they effectively reduce levels of PM and CO2, but they also contribute to the regulation of indoor temperature and humidity. The implications of these results highlight the potential of integrating plants into indoor spaces as a natural and multifaceted solution for creating healthier and more comfortable environments.

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“…Urban buildings and vegetation serve as large underlying surfaces for PM deposition [ 21 ]. The surfaces of building facades and rooftops, which are often hard and smooth, influence the quantity of PM deposition [ 22 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing leaf-deposited particles: Single-particle mass spectral analysis and comparison with naturally fallen particles

Chen,

Xiao,

Sun

et al. 2024

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

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Effectiveness of plants for passive removal of particulate matter is low in the indoor environment

Cited by 7 publications

References 42 publications

Phytoremediation for the indoor environment: a state-of-the-art review

Phytoremediation for the indoor environment: a state-of-the-art review

Evaluating the Particulate Matter and Carbon Dioxide Reduction of Four Broad-leaved Evergreen Plants

Characterizing leaf-deposited particles: Single-particle mass spectral analysis and comparison with naturally fallen particles

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