Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air System
Particulate matter (PM) is a major health risk, particularly in indoor environments where air quality should be optimized and pollution reduced efficiently. While technical air purification systems can be costly and impractical, indoor plants offer a sustainable alternative. Using a novel methodolog...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/783 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Particulate matter (PM) is a major health risk, particularly in indoor environments where air quality should be optimized and pollution reduced efficiently. While technical air purification systems can be costly and impractical, indoor plants offer a sustainable alternative. Using a novel methodology, four common indoor plants were evaluated for their potential to reduce PM<sub>2.5</sub>. PM<sub>2.5</sub> was introduced via incense in a custom-designed test chamber with air circulating at 0.3 m/s. Air quality was continuously monitored with an AirGradient Open Air device (Model O-1PST), an optical particle counter. Statistical significance was confirmed by independent t-tests and ANOVA. Calcium chloride regulated relative humidity in the chamber. The plants <i>Epipremnum aureum</i>, <i>Chlorophytum comosum</i>, <i>Nephrolepis exaltata</i>, and <i>Maranta leuconeura</i> were assessed for their PM<sub>2.5</sub>-binding capacity. <i>Nephrolepis exaltata</i> showed the highest reduction efficiency. <i>Maranta leuconeura</i> with its hemispherical leaf cells was tested for the first time and proved to trap particles within its leaf structure. It is ranked second and showed a stronger dependence on ambient PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations for reduction efficiency. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2073-4433 |