Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Common Indoor Plants in Improving the Indoor Air Quality of Studio Apartments

Abstract

People spend most of their time indoors, and prolonged exposure to pollution can harm their health. The degradation of indoor air quality (IAQ) has raised serious issues. Botanical biofilters are an exciting solution for lowering indoor air pollution. However, plants cultivated inside under low light intensity (10–50 μmole PAR m−2 s−1) generate CO2 in the indoor atmosphere. Combining C3 (Calvin Cycle) and Crassulacean Acid metabolism (CAM) plants may be able to address this problem by lowering CO2 emission levels and enhancing the efficiency of pollution removal by removing the primary indoor air pollutants from actual interior settings, including carbon dioxide (CO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs). As a result, a successful botanical biofilter made of several plants was researched. Indoor plants can phytoremediate a variety of indoor contaminants. However, just a few studies have demonstrated its efficacy in practical contexts. Due to the harsh winter, apartments in South Korea are frequently closed, necessitating the measurement of interior air pollution concentration in real-time. Four apartments (APT I through APT IV) with various ventilation and indoor plant setups were selected for this investigation. Various combinations of indoor environments (ventilation, low light) and a combination of C3 and CAM indoor plants as a botanical biofilter were used to study the sites over two months. Current research indicates that combining a botanical biofilter with ventilation can reduce levels of CO2, TVOCs, HCHO, PM2.5, and PM10 by 76%, 87%, 75%, 52%, and 51%, respectively. The current study concluded that different indoor potted plants provide an effective, affordable, self-regulating, sustainable option for enhancing indoor air quality and, consequently, human well-being and productivity in small, cramped places.