Houseplants are the
latest word in household cleaning.
Research now shows
that houseplants play an important role in cleaning the air we
breath, both indoors and out.
Plants produce their
own food through a process called photosynthesis. This means they
take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen.
Photosynthesis "cleans" our air by absorbing carbon dioxide and by
taking in certain other pollutants, as well.
A team of National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) researchers lead by Dr.
Bill Wolverton tested the effect of fifteen house plants on three
pollutants known to be present in spacecrafts. These same three
pollutants--benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene--are
present in homes and office buildings. They occur because they are
emitted from furnishings, office equipment and some building
materials.
Under controlled
conditions, in the NASA study, certain houseplants were found to
remove as much as 87 percent of indoor air pollutants within 24
hours.
Until recently,
indoor air pollution was not considered a health threat; most homes
and public buildings leaked so much that air often was replaced
every couple of hours. But during the 1970's, after energy
shortages occurred, more and more of us began to insulate our
houses and office buildings to conserve energy and lower heating
and cooling costs. As a result, indoor air might linger for five
hours or more allowing pollutants to accumulate.
Researchers are just
beginning to understand how indoor pollutants such as cigarette
smoke, for example, can harm humans. Effects range from skin and
eye irritations to headaches and allergies. Some of the pollutants
may be carcinogenic. According to the NASA study, the plants listed
below proved effective in removing certain indoor air
pollutants.
The NASA
researchers suggest that for the test plants to be effective "air
cleaners" it is necessary to use 1 potted plant per 100 square feet
of home or office space. Indeed, it would appear that plants have
many useful qualities, including one of making our indoor air
cleaner to breath.*
