| Title: | Assessment of filtration efficiency and physiological responses of selected plant species to indoor air pollutants (toluene and 2-ethylhexanol) under chamber conditions |
| Author(s): | Hormann V; Brenske KR; Ulrichs C; |
| Address: | "Faculty of Life Sciences, Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Lentzeallee 55/57, 14195, Berlin, Germany. vanessa.hoermann@hu-berlin.de. Section II 1.3 Indoor Hygiene, Health-Related Environmental Impacts, German Environment Agency, Corrensplatz 1, 14195, Berlin, Germany. Faculty of Life Sciences, Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Lentzeallee 55/57, 14195, Berlin, Germany" |
| Journal Title: | Environ Sci Pollut Res Int |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11356-017-0453-9 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1614-7499 (Electronic) 0944-1344 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Three common plant species (Dieffenbachia maculata, Spathiphyllum wallisii, and Asparagus densiflorus) were tested against their capacity to remove the air pollutants toluene (20.0 mg m(-3)) and 2-ethylhexanol (14.6 mg m(-3)) under light or under dark in chamber experiments of 48-h duration. Results revealed only limited pollutant filtration capabilities and indicate that aerial plant parts of the tested species are only of limited value for indoor air quality improvement. The removal rate constant ranged for toluene from 3.4 to 5.7 L h(-1) m(-2) leaf area with no significant differences between plant species or light conditions (light/dark). The values for 2-ethylhexanol were somewhat lower, fluctuating around 2 L h(-1) m(-2) leaf area for all plant species tested, whereas differences between light and dark were observed for two of the three species. In addition to pollutant removal, CO(2) fixation/respiration and transpiration as well as quantum yield were evaluated. These physiological characteristics seem to have no major impact on the VOC removal rate constant. Exposure to toluene or 2-ethylhexanol revealed no or only minor effects on D. maculata and S. wallisii. In contrast, a decrease in quantum yield and CO(2) fixation was observed for A. densiflorus when exposed to 2-ethylhexanol or toluene under light, indicating phytotoxic effects in this species" |
| Keywords: | "Air Pollutants/*analysis Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis/*prevention & control Biodegradation, Environmental Environmental Monitoring/*methods Hexanols/*analysis Lilianae/*growth & development Toluene/*analysis Air purification Indoor air quality Ornamenta;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineHormann, Vanessa Brenske, Klaus-Reinhard Ulrichs, Christian eng Germany 2017/10/19 Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018 Jan; 25(1):447-458. doi: 10.1007/s11356-017-0453-9. Epub 2017 Oct 18" |
