DEVELOPING INTERIOR FOLIAGE PLANTS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF AIR QUALITY

Since many people in our society spend most of their lives indoors, indoor air represents a major proportion of their exposure to air pollution.
In some circumstances, poor indoor air quality may pose serious health risks, particularly in susceptible individuals.

The responses of plants to pollutants may provide a simple method of monitoring gaseous pollutants, as well as providing pollution abatement.
To develop the use of plants as bio indicators requires an appropriate selection of plant characteristics to be monitored.
This project is based on the approach of Singh et al. (1991), which was directed to outdoor air pollution responses.
Measurements were carried out on levels of ascorbic acid, chlorophyll a and b, relative water content, and leaf extract pH in eight common indoor foliage plant species, to establish an air pollution tolerance index (APTI) for each.

The application of such indices in interior foliage plant materials can be used to assist in the routine maintenance and management of indoor plants, and in the concomitant quality of the indoor air for the occupants of the building.

Horticulture in Human life, Culture and Environment

R.A. Wood, M.D. Burchett

Air pollution, Volatile organic compounds, Plant stress responses, Interior foliage plants, Air quality

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.391.10