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Modest contribution of ornamental plants to air purification indoors
We tested ornamental plants on their contribution to air purification in offices and private homes. Since decades research at lab scale has shown that plants can clean the air from volatile organic compounds (VOC). Proving their contribution in rooms and offices is challenging since many factors are involved. Therefore we studied the plant's role by step by step increasing the complexity of the situation. Factors involved are natural and mechanical ventilation, adsorption properties of objects in the room, number of plants, humidity and light level.
Our research shows that the mechanical ventilation system has the biggest impact on removal of VOC. Secondly, air exchange through air spaces in doors and windows. Also adsorption to room objects is a large sink for VOC. In a test room totally packed with plants, a modest 5% more VOC was removed compared to a situation without plants. Light level and humidity did not play a role. Based on this research, the involved plant suppliers can quantify the air purification effect of their plants.