NASA Study shows common plants help reduce indoor air pollution....

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NASA Study shows common plants help reduce indoor air pollution....

_http://www.zone10.com/tech/NASA/Fyh.htm_

(http://www.zone10.com/tech/NASA/Fyh.htm)

 

 

Common indoor plants may provide a valuable weapon in the fight against

rising levels of indoor air pollution. Those plants in your office or home are

not only decorative, but NASA scientists are finding them to be surprisingly

useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air inside

modern buildings.

 

 

NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) have

announced the findings of a 2-year study that suggest a sophisticated

pollution-absorbing device: the common indoor plant may provide a natural way

of helping

combat " SICK BUILDING SYNDROME " .

 

 

Research into the use of biological processes as a means of solving

environmental problems, both on Earth and in space habitats, has been carried

out for

many years by Dr. Bill Wolverton, formerly a senior research scientist at

NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, Miss.

 

 

Based on preliminary evaluations of the use of common indoor plants for

indoor air purification and revitalization, ALCA joined NASA to fund a study

using about a dozen popular varieties of ornamental plants to determine their

effectiveness in removing several key pollutants associated with indoor air

pollution. NASA research on indoor plants has found that living plants are so

efficient at absorbing contaminants in the air that some will be launched into

space as part of the biological life support system aboard future orbiting

space stations.

 

 

While more research is needed, Wolverton says the study has shown that

common indoor landscaping plants can remove certain pollutants from the indoor

environment. " We feel that future results will provide an even stronger

argument

that common indoor landscaping plants can be a very effective part of a

system used to provide pollution free homes and work places, " he concludes.

 

 

Each plant type was placed in sealed, Plexiglas chambers in which chemicals

were injected. Philodendron, spider plant and the golden pothos were labeled

the most effective in removing formaldehyde molecules. Flowering plants such

as gerbera daisy and chrysanthemums were rated superior in removing benzene

from the chamber atmosphere. Other good performers are Dracaena Massangeana,

Spathiphyllum, and Golden Pothos. " Plants take substances out of the air

through the tiny openings in their leaves, " Wolverton said. " But research in

our

laboratories has determined that plant leaves, roots and soil bacteria are all

important in removing trace levels of toxic vapors " .

 

" Combining nature with technology can increase the effectiveness of plants

in removing air pollutants, " he said. " A living air cleaner is created by

combining activated carbon and a fan with a potted plant. The roots of the

plant

grow right in the carbon and slowly degrade the chemicals absorbed there, "

Wolverton explains.

 

 

NASA research has consistently shown that living, green and flowering plants

can remove several toxic chemicals from the air in building interiors. You

can use plants in your home or office to improve the quality of the air to

make it a more pleasant place to live and work - where people feel better,

perform better, any enjoy life more.

 

 

TOP 10 plants most effective in removing:

formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air.

Common Name Scientific Name Bamboo Palm _Chamaedorea Seifritzii _

(http://www.zone10.com/nursery/Berneck/CHAMBERN.htm) Chinese Evergreen

_Aglaonema Modestum _ (http://www.aglaonemas.com/) English Ivy Hedera

Helix

Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii Janet Craig _Dracaena " Janet Craig " _

(http://www.dracaena.com/VarietyDetails.asp?PLANT_ID=23) Marginata _Dracaena

Marginata _ (http://www.dracaena.com/VarietyDetails.asp?PLANT_ID=21) Mass

cane/Corn Plant _Dracaena Massangeana_

(http://www.dracaena.com/VarietyDetails.asp?PLANT_ID=25) Mother-in-Law's

Tongue _Sansevieria Laurentii _

(http://www.zone10.com/nursery/BoydNursery/sans.htm) Pot Mum Chrysantheium

morifolium Peace Lily _Spathiphyllum " Mauna Loa " _ (http://www.spaths.com/)

Warneckii _Dracaena " Warneckii " _

(http://www.dracaena.com/VarietyDetails.asp?PLANT_ID=24)

Chemicals Used

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a commercial product found in a wide variety of

industrial uses. Over 90 percent of the TCE produced is used in the metal

degreasing and dry cleaning industries. In addition, it is used in printing

inks,

paints, lacquers, varnishes, and adhesives. In 1975 the National Cancer

Institute reported that an unusually high incidence of hepatocellular

carcinomas

was observed in mice given TCE by gastric intubation and now considers this

chemical a potent liver carcinogen.

Benzene is a very commonly used solvent and is also present in many common

items including gasoline, inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber. In

addition it is used in the manufacture of detergents, explosives,

pharmaceuticals,

and dyes.

 

Benzene has long been known to irritate the skin and eyes. In addition, it

has been shown to be mutagenic to bacterial cell culture and has shown

embryotoxic activity and carcinogenicity in some tests. Evidence also exists

that

benzene may be a contributing factor in chromosomal aberrations and leukemia in

humans. Repeated skin contact with benzene will cause drying, inflammation,

blistering and dermatitis. Acute inhalation of high levels of benzene has

been reported to cause dizziness, weakness, euphoria, headache, nausea, blurred

vision, respiratory diseases, tremors, irregular heartbeat, liver and kidney

damage, paralysis and unconsciousness. In anima tests inhalation of benzene

led to cataract formation and diseases of the blood and lymphatic systems.

Chronic exposure to even relatively low levels causes headaches, loss of

appetite, drowsiness, nervousness, psychological disturbances and diseases of

the

blood system, including anemia and bone marrow diseases.

Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous chemical found in virtually all indoor

environments. The major sources which have been reported and publicized include

urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and particle board or pressed wood

products used in manufacturing of the office furniture bought today. It is used

in

consumer paper products which have been treated with UF resins, including

grocery bags, waxed papers, facial tissues and paper towels. Many common

household cleaning agents contain formaldehyde. UF resins are used as

stiffeners,

wrinkle resisters, water repellents, fire retardants and adhesive binders in

floor coverings, carpet backings and permanent-press clothes. Other sources of

formaldehyde include heating and cooking fuels like natural gas, kerosene,

and cigarette smoke.

Formaldehyde irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. It

is also a highly reactive chemical which combines with protein and can cause

allergic contact dermatitis. The most widely reported symptoms from exposure

to high levels of this chemical include irritation of the eyes and

headaches. Until recently, the most serious of the diseases attributed to

formaldehyde

exposure was asthma. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has

recently conducted research which has caused formaldehyde to be strongly

suspected of causing a rare type of throat cancer in long-term occupants of

mobile homes.

 

 

 

--

For more information, contact the: PLANTS for CLEAN AIR COUNCIL

3458 Goodspeed Road Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 or e-mail

_zone10_ (zone10)

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