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Benzene and hexane are common indoor air pollutants
emitted by carpet, paint, and furniture fabric and new or newly
refurbished buildings where the problem is more serious. These toxins
contribute to sick building syndrome, where symptoms include dry eyes,
dry nose, headache, and nausea.
Evidence presented in this online article shows that
common indoor plants such as the peace lily and the kentia palm can
improve indoor air quality due to their ability to reduce levels of
volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Researchers in this study found a
100% reduction of VOCs in an enclosed environment within a 24-hour
period. The metabolic activity of soil microorganisms associated with
roots was primarily responsible for taking up pollutants with an average
reduction in VOCs between 10% and 20%. The article details the
experiment and results.
NASA Study Shows
Common Plants Help Reduce Indoor Air Pollution. 2002. Tropical Plants
Zone 10.
www.zone10.com/tech/NASA/Fyh.htm
NASA also wanted to know if it is possible to clean a
polluted atmosphere indoors. Their researchers examined popular
houseplants for their effects on indoor air quality. Common indoor
plants such as Spider plants and golden pothos plants were the most
effective at removing formaldehyde and improving air quality. Flowering
plants such as the Gerbera daisy and the Chrysanthemum were the most
effective at removing benzene.
NASA claimed that substances were removed from the air
through plant leaves but that roots and soil bacteria were also
effective purifiers. Air purifiers for home use were developed
utilizing activated carbon filters and fans, much like an aquarium
filtering system. By forcing air through a container holding pothos or
daisies and their roots, chemicals in the vicinity could be absorbed and
degraded. According to this article, NASA plans to send a filtering
system of this type into space to determine air quality improvements
onboard the spacecraft.
Desktop Gardens Won’t
Clear the Air. Sleath, M. 13 January 2000. News in Science: Health &
Medical.
www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s92768.htm
On the other hand, the Australia Broadcasting
Corporation disputes the belief that plants are a cure for sick building
syndrome. Peter Dingle, an environmental scientist at Murdoch
University, Perth, Western Australia, claims it’s a myth to think that
plants can reduce pollution. He bases his criticism on his research
that documents the effect of plants on formaldehyde levels, a toxin that
causes irritation to the eyes, skin and throat as well as lethargy and
dizziness.
Dingle tested air quality in university buildings that
were constructed with formaldehyde-laden chipboard walls. Average rates
of formaldehyde were in the range of 10 to 78 parts per billion (ppb).
The threshold at which adverse affects can be felt in the human body is
50 ppb. Data falling outside the average pool were as high as 2,110 ppb
in some new buildings. Dingle found that with five plants in a floor
space of 8 square meters had no effect on air quality. With 20 plants
in the same floor space, formaldehyde levels dropped only slightly.
Levels dropped from 856 ppb to 761 ppb in one case.
Dingle concludes that improved health effects from
having potted plants around are actually psychological unless you choose
to work in a jungle at the office. Read studies of both sides to make
an informed decision.
Stewart presents twenty indoor house plants that are
effective at removing common chemical vapors in the house and states
exactly what vapors the plants are responsible for scrubbing. To name a
few here, we’ll mention Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), Azalea
(Rhododendron simsii), Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’),
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonena modestum), Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera
‘Bridgesii’), Cyclamen (Cyclamen persica) and three cultivars of
Draceana. She uses the same data as the NASA study. | 
