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...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/783 |
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| author | Erich Streit Jolan Schabauer Azra Korjenic |
| author_facet | Erich Streit Jolan Schabauer Azra Korjenic |
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| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8192d7b2031c4bb2ad7946c2b89ecb0c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-8192d7b2031c4bb2ad7946c2b89ecb0c2025-08-20T03:13:36ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-06-0116778310.3390/atmos16070783Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air SystemErich Streit0Jolan Schabauer1Azra Korjenic2Research Unit of Ecological Building Technologies, Institute of Material Technology, Building Physics and Building Ecology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Vienna, 1040 Vienna, AustriaResearch Unit of Ecological Building Technologies, Institute of Material Technology, Building Physics and Building Ecology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Vienna, 1040 Vienna, AustriaResearch Unit of Ecological Building Technologies, Institute of Material Technology, Building Physics and Building Ecology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Vienna, 1040 Vienna, AustriaParticulate 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/783particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>)indoor plantsair qualityphytoremediation<i>Nephrolepis exaltata</i> |
| spellingShingle | Erich Streit Jolan Schabauer Azra Korjenic Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air System Atmosphere particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) indoor plants air quality phytoremediation <i>Nephrolepis exaltata</i> |
| title | Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air System |
| title_full | Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air System |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air System |
| title_short | Evaluating Particulate Matter Reduction by Indoor Plants in a Recirculating Air System |
| title_sort | evaluating particulate matter reduction by indoor plants in a recirculating air system |
| topic | particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) indoor plants air quality phytoremediation <i>Nephrolepis exaltata</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/783 |
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