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Houseplants help indoor pollution according to UGA researchers
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Purple heart plants were found to be very successful at removing indoor pollutants.
A recent study at the University of Georgia highlights the most effective houseplants for the removal of indoor pollutants. According to the World Health Organization, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that emanate from various indoor fixtures, paint, and even tap water, contribute significantly to a number of health problems, such as asthma, nausea, respiratory disorders, and even cancer.
Led by UGA horticulture researcher Stanley J. Kays, the new study highlights the fact that certain indoor plants, many of them fairly common, function well to remove the VOCs from the indoor environments in which they live. Including these plants in living areas can not only relieve stress, but can also lessen symptoms of certain illnesses that VOCs may contribute to.
There were 28 indoor plants featured in the study, focused on phytoremediation, or their ability to remove VOCs from the air. Of the 28, the purple heart plant (Tradescantia pallida) was rated the best overall at phytoremediation because of its ability to remove 4 of the VOCs introduced to the experimental environment.
Other successful plants include: asparagus ferns (Asparagus densiflorus), Purple waffle plants (Hemigraphis alternate), English ivy (Hedera helix), and variegated wax plants (Hoya carnosa).
The original study was published in the horticulture journal, HortScience.
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