Environ Health Toxicol.  2017 ;32(1):e2017006. 10.5620/eht.e2017006.

Study of the removal difference in indoor particulate matter and volatile organic compounds through the application of plants

• Hong SH
• Hong J
• Yu J
• Lim Y

• KMID: 2411238
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5620/eht.e2017006

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of plants to purify indoor air by observing the effective reduction rate among pollutant types of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). PM and four types of VOCs were measured in a new building that is less than three years old and under three different conditions: before applying the plant, after applying the plant, and a room without a plant. The removal rate of each pollutant type due to the plant was also compared and analyzed. In the case of indoor PM, the removal effect was negligible because of outdoor influence. However, 9% of benzene, 75% of ethylbenzene, 72% of xylene, 75% of styrene, 50% of formaldehyde, 36% of acetaldehyde, 35% of acrolein with acetone, and 85% of toluene were reduced. The purification of indoor air by natural ventilation is meaningless because the ambient PM concentration has recently been high. However, contamination by gaseous materials such as VOCs can effectively be removed through the application of plants.

Keyword

Plant; Indoor air; Particle matter; Volatile organic compounds

MeSH Terms

Acetaldehyde
Acetone
Acrolein
Benzene
Formaldehyde
Particulate Matter*
Plants
Styrene
Toluene
Ventilation
Volatile Organic Compounds*
Xylenes
Acetaldehyde
Acetone
Acrolein
Benzene
Formaldehyde
Particulate Matter
Styrene
Toluene
Volatile Organic Compounds
Xylenes