Plants can efficiently remove toxic gasoline vapors from indoor air. — Daily Science

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The study was led by University of Technology Sydney (UTS) bioremediation researcher Associate Professor Fraser Torpy, in partnership with leading Australian garden solutions company Ambius.

The researchers found that the small Ambius green wall, containing a mix of houseplants, was highly effective at removing harmful cancer-causing pollutants, with 97% of the most toxic compounds removed from the surrounding air in just eight minutes. hours.

Poor indoor air quality is responsible for 6.7 million premature deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Most people spend 90% of their time indoors at home, school or at work, so adopting new strategies to improve air quality is critical.

Ambius CEO Johan Hodgson said the research presented new evidence about the critical role indoor plants and green walls play in cleaning the air we breathe quickly and sustainably.

“We know that indoor air quality is often significantly more polluted than outdoor air, which in turn affects mental and physical health. But the good news is that this study has shown that something as simple as having plants in the interior can make a big difference,” said Mr. Hodgson.

Previous studies on houseplants have shown that they can remove a wide range of pollutants from indoor air; however, this is the first study on the ability of plants to clean up gasoline fumes, which are one of the biggest sources of toxic compounds in buildings around the world.

Offices and residential apartment buildings are often directly connected to parking garages, either by doors or elevator shafts, making it difficult to prevent harmful gasoline-related compounds from seeping into residential and work areas. Many buildings are also exposed to gasoline fumes from nearby roads and highways.

Breathing gasoline vapors can cause lung irritation, headaches, and nausea, and has been linked to increased risk of cancer, asthma, and other chronic diseases due to long-term exposure, contributing to a shorter life expectancy.

Associate Professor Torpy said the study results, based on measurements from a sealed chamber, far exceeded his expectations when it came to removing gasoline contaminants from the air.

“This is the first time that the ability of plants to remove compounds related to gasoline has been tested, and the results are astounding.

“Plants can not only remove most pollutants from the air in a matter of hours, but they also remove the most harmful gasoline-related pollutants from the air more efficiently, for example, the well-known carcinogen benzene is digested at a rate faster than less harmful substances, such as alcohols.

“We also found that the more concentrated the toxins were in the air, the faster and more effective the plants became at removing the toxins, showing that plants adapt to the conditions in which they grow,” Associate Professor Torpy said.

Hodgson said the findings confirmed feedback they had received after installing plants in hundreds of office buildings across the country.

“At Ambius, we see time and time again the effects that plants have on improving health, well-being, productivity and office attendance in the thousands of companies we work with. This new research shows that plants They should not only be seen as ‘nice to have’, but a crucial part of every workplace wellness plan.

“The bottom line is that the best, most cost-effective and most sustainable way to combat harmful indoor air pollutants in your workplace and home is to introduce plants,” Mr Hodgson said.

More information: https://www.ambiusindoorplants.com.au/ambius-capability/ambius-and-uts-research-study