Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Potted plants do not improve indoor air quality: a review and analysis of reported VOC removal efficiencies

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 30, pages 253–261 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Potted plants have demonstrated abilities to remove airborne volatile organic compounds (VOC) in small, sealed chambers over timescales of many hours or days. Claims have subsequently been made suggesting that potted plants may reduce indoor VOC concentrations. These potted plant chamber studies reported outcomes using various metrics, often not directly applicable to contextualizing plants’ impacts on indoor VOC loads. To assess potential impacts, 12 published studies of chamber experiments were reviewed, and 196 experimental results were translated into clean air delivery rates (CADR, m3/h), which is an air cleaner metric that can be normalized by volume to parameterize first-order loss indoors. The distribution of single-plant CADR spanned orders of magnitude, with a median of 0.023 m3/h, necessitating the placement of 10–1000 plants/m2 of a building’s floor space for the combined VOC-removing ability by potted plants to achieve the same removal rate that outdoor-to-indoor air exchange already provides in typical buildings (~1 h−1). Future experiments should shift the focus from potted plants’ (in)abilities to passively clean indoor air, and instead investigate VOC uptake mechanisms, alternative biofiltration technologies, biophilic productivity and well-being benefits, or negative impacts of other plant-sourced emissions, which must be assessed by rigorous field work accounting for important indoor processes.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Klepeis NE, Nelson WC, Ott WR, Robinson JP, Tsang AM, Switzer P, et al. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): a resource for assessing exposure to environmental pollutants. J Exposure Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2001;11:231–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Weschler CJ. Ozone’s impact on public health: contributions from indoor exposures to ozone and products of ozone-initiated chemistry. Environ Health Perspect. 2006;114:1489–96.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wallace L. Indoor particles: a review. J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 1996;46:98–126.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Wallace L. Indoor sources of ultrafine and accumulation mode particles: size distributions, size-resolved concentrations, and source strengths. Aerosol Sci Technol. 2006;40:348–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Weschler CJ, Shields HC. Production of the hydroxyl radical in indoor air. Environ Sci Technol. 1996;30:3250–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Weschler CJ, Nazaroff WW. Semivolatile organic compounds in indoor environments. Atmos Environ. 2008;42:9018–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Brown SK, Sim MR, Abramson MJ, Gray CN. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds in indoor air—a review. Indoor Air. 1994;4:123–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Morawska L, Afshari A, Bae GN, Buonanno G, Chao CYH, Hänninen O, et al. Indoor aerosols: from personal exposure to risk assessment. Indoor Air. 2013;23:462–87.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Johnson AM, Waring MS, DeCarlo PF. Real-time transformation of outdoor aerosol components upon transport indoors measured with aerosol mass spectrometry. Indoor Air. 2017;27:230–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Avery AM, Waring MS, DeCarlo PF. Seasonal variation in aerosol composition and concentration upon transport from the outdoor to indoor environment. Environ Sci: Process Impacts. 2019;21:528–47.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Uhde E, Salthammer T. Impact of reaction products from building materials and furnishings on indoor air quality—a review of recent advances in indoor chemistry. Atmos Environ. 2007;41:3111–28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nazaroff WW, Weschler CJ. Cleaning products and air fresheners: exposure to primary and secondary air pollutants. Atmos Environ. 2004;38:2841–65.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Huang Y, Ho SSH, Ho KF, Lee SC, Yu JZ, Louie PKK. Characteristics and health impacts of VOCs and carbonyls associated with residential cooking activities in Hong Kong. J Hazard Mater. 2011;186:344–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Brinke JT, Selvin S, Hodgson AT, Fisk WJ, Mendell MJ, Koshland CP, et al. Development of new volatile organic compound (VOC) exposure metrics and their relationship to “sick building syndrome” symptoms. Indoor Air 1998;8:140–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Jones AP. Indoor air quality and health. Atmos Environ. 1999;33:4535–64.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wallace LA. Human exposure to volatile organic pollutants: implications for indoor air studies. Annu Rev Energy Environ. 2001;26:269–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wieslander G, Norbäck D, Edling C. Airway symptoms among house painters in relation to exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—a longitudinal study. Ann Occup Hyg. 1997;41:155–66.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yu C, Crump D. A review of the emission of VOCs from polymeric materials used in buildings. Build Environ. 1998;33:357–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Waring MS. Secondary organic aerosol in residences: predicting its fraction of fine particle mass and determinants of formation strength. Indoor Air. 2014;24:376–89.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Youssefi S, Waring MS. Predicting secondary organic aerosol formation from terpenoid ozonolysis with varying yields in indoor environments. Indoor Air. 2012;22:415–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Waring MS, Wells JR. Volatile organic compound conversion by ozone, hydroxyl radicals, and nitrate radicals in residential indoor air: Magnitudes and impacts of oxidant sources. Atmos Environ (1994). 2015;106:382–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Cummings BE, Waring MS. Predicting the importance of oxidative aging on indoor organic aerosol concentrations using the two-dimensional volatility basis set (2D-VBS). Indoor Air 2019;29:616–29.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Youssefi S, Waring MS. Indoor transient SOA formation from ozone+α-pinene reactions: Impacts of air exchange and initial product concentrations, and comparison to limonene ozonolysis. Atmos Environ. 2015;112:106–15.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Youssefi S, Waring MS. Transient secondary organic aerosol formation from limonene ozonolysis in indoor environments: impacts of air exchange rates and initial concentration ratios. Environ Sci Technol. 2014;48:7899–908.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Yang Y, Waring MS. Secondary organic aerosol formation initiated by α-terpineol ozonolysis in indoor air. Indoor Air. 2016;26:939–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Rohr AC. The health significance of gas- and particle-phase terpene oxidation products: a review. Environ Int. 2013;60:145–62.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Hallquist M, Wenger JC, Baltensperger U, Rudich Y, Simpson D, Claeys M, et al. The formation, properties and impact of secondary organic aerosol: current and emerging issues. Atmos Chem Phys. 2009;9:5155–236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Lin Y-H, Arashiro M, Clapp PW, Cui T, Sexton KG, Vizuete W, et al. Gene expression profiling in human lung cells exposed to isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosol. Environ Sci Technol. 2017;51:8166–75.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wargocki P, Sundell J, Bischof W, Brundrett G, Fanger PO, Gyntelberg F, et al. Ventilation and health in non-industrial indoor environments: report from a European multidisciplinary scientific consensus meeting (EUROVEN). Indoor Air. 2002;12:113–28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Mendell MJ, Eliseeva EA, Davies MM, Spears M, Lobscheid A, Fisk WJ, et al. Association of classroom ventilation with reduced illness absence: a prospective study in California elementary schools. Indoor Air. 2013;23:515–28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Wargocki P, Wyon DP, Fanger PO. The performance and subjective responses of call-center operators with new and used supply air filters at two outdoor air supply rates. Indoor Air. 2004;14 Suppl 8:7–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Haverinen‐Shaughnessy U, Moschandreas DJ, Shaughnessy RJ. Association between substandard classroom ventilation rates and students’ academic achievement. Indoor Air 2011;21:121–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Carrer P, Wargocki P, Fanetti A, Bischof W, De Oliveira Fernandes E, Hartmann T, et al. What does the scientific literature tell us about the ventilation–health relationship in public and residential buildings? Build Environ. 2015;94:273–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Fisk WJ, Mirer AG, Mendell MJ. Quantification of the association of ventilation rates with sick building syndrome symptoms. Berkeley, CA, USA: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL); 2009. Report No.: LBNL-2035E. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/962711

  35. Rackes A, Ben‐David T, Waring MS. Outcome-based ventilation: a framework for assessing performance, health, and energy impacts to inform office building ventilation decisions. Indoor Air. 2018;28:585–603.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Quang TN, He C, Morawska L, Knibbs LD. Influence of ventilation and filtration on indoor particle concentrations in urban office buildings. Atmos Environ. 2013;79:41–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Weschler CJ. Ozone in indoor environments: concentration and chemistry. Indoor Air. 2000;10:269–88.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Ben-David T, Wang S, Rackes A, Waring MS. Measuring the efficacy of HVAC particle filtration over a range of ventilation rates in an office building. Build Environ. 2018;144:648–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Benne K, Griffith B, Long N, Torcellini P, Crawley D, Logee T. Assessment of the energy impacts of outside air in the commercial sector. 2009. Report No.: NREL/TP-550-41955, 951796. http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/951796-l2ErYY/

  40. Rackes A, Waring MS. Alternative ventilation strategies in U.S. offices: Comprehensive assessment and sensitivity analysis of energy saving potential. Build Environ. 2017;116:30–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Ben-David T, Rackes A, Waring MS. Alternative ventilation strategies in U.S. offices: Saving energy while enhancing work performance, reducing absenteeism, and considering outdoor pollutant exposure tradeoffs. Build Environ. 2017;116:140–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Aydogan A, Montoya LD. Formaldehyde removal by common indoor plant species and various growing media. Atmos Environ. 2011;45:2675–82.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Irga PJ, Torpy FR, Burchett MD. Can hydroculture be used to enhance the performance of indoor plants for the removal of air pollutants? Atmos Environ. 2013;77:267–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Kim KJ, Kil MJ, Song JS, Yoo EH, Son K-C, Kays SJ. Efficiency of volatile formaldehyde removal by indoor plants: contribution of aerial plant parts versus the root zone. J Am Soc Hort Sci. 2008;133:521–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Kim KJ, Jeong MI, Lee DW, Song JS, Kim HD, Yoo EH, et al. Variation in formaldehyde removal efficiency among indoor plant species. HortScience 2010;45:1489–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Kim KJ, Kim HJ, Khalekuzzaman M, Yoo EH, Jung HH, Jang HS. Removal ratio of gaseous toluene and xylene transported from air to root zone via the stem by indoor plants. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2016;23:6149–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Orwell RL, Wood RL, Tarran J, Torpy F, Burchett MD. Removal of benzene by the indoor plant/substrate microcosm and implications for air quality. Water Air Soil Pollut. 2004;157:193–207.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Orwell RL, Wood RA, Burchett MD, Tarran J, Torpy F. The potted-plant microcosm substantially reduces indoor air VOC pollution: II. Laboratory study. Water Air Soil Pollut. 2006;177:59–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Wolverton BC, Johnson A, Bounds K. Interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement. 1989. Report No.: NASA-TM-101766. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19930073077

  50. Yang DS, Pennisi SV, Son K-C, Kays SJ. Screening indoor plants for volatile organic pollutant removal efficiency. HortScience 2009;44:1377–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Yoo MH, Kwon YJ, Son K-C, Kays SJ. Efficacy of indoor plants for the removal of single and mixed volatile organic pollutants and physiological effects of the volatiles on the plants. J Am Soc Horticultural Sci 2006;131:452–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Zhang L, Routsong R, Strand SE. Greatly enhanced removal of volatile organic carcinogens by a genetically modified houseplant, pothos Ivy (Epipremnum aureum) expressing the mammalian cytochrome P450 2e1 gene. Environ Sci Technol. 2019;53:325–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Rackes A, Waring MS. Do time-averaged, whole-building, effective volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions depend on the air exchange rate? A statistical analysis of trends for 46 VOCs in U.S. offices. Indoor Air 2016;26:642–59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Weisel CP, Zhang J, Turpin BJ, Morandi MT, Colome S, Stock TH, et al. Relationship of indoor, outdoor and personal air (RIOPA) study: study design, methods and quality assurance/control results. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2005;15:123–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Turpin BJ, Weisel CP, Morandi M, Colome S, Stock T, Eisenreich S, et al. Relationships of indoor, outdoor, and personal air (RIOPA): part II. Analyses of concentrations of particulate matter species. Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 2007;130 Pt 2:1–77. discussion 79–92.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Xu Z, Wang L, Hou H. Formaldehyde removal by potted plant–soil systems. J Hazard Mater. 2011;192:314–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Liu Y-J, Mu Y-J, Zhu Y-G, Ding H, Crystal Arens N. Which ornamental plant species effectively remove benzene from indoor air? Atmos Environ. 2007;41:650–4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Cruz MD, Müller R, Svensmark B, Pedersen JS, Christensen JH. Assessment of volatile organic compound removal by indoor plants—a novel experimental setup. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2014;21:7838–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Hörmann V, Brenske K-R, Ulrichs C. Suitability of test chambers for analyzing air pollutant removal by plants and assessing potential indoor air purification. Water Air Soil Pollut. 2017;228:402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Girman J, Phillips T, Levin H. Critical review: how well do house plants perform as indoor air cleaners? 2009;5.

  61. Dingle P, Tapsell P, Hu S. Reducing formaldehyde exposure in office environments using plants. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2000;64:302–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Wood RA, Burchett MD, Alquezar R, Orwell RL, Tarran J, Torpy F. The potted-plant microcosm substantially reduces indoor air VOC pollution: I. Office field-study. Water Air Soil Pollut. 2006;175:163–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Levin H. Can house plants solve IAQ problems?. Indoor Air Bull. 1992;2:1–7.

  64. Wood RA, Orwell RL, Tarran J, Torpy F, Burchett M. Potted-plant/growth media interactions and capacities for removal of volatiles from indoor air. J Horticult Sci Biotechnol. 2002;77:120–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Waring MS, Siegel JA, Corsi RL. Ultrafine particle removal and generation by portable air cleaners. Atmos Environ. 2008;42:5003–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Kim H-J, Han B, Kim Y-J, Yoon Y-H, Oda T. Efficient test method for evaluating gas removal performance of room air cleaners using FTIR measurement and CADR calculation. Build Environ. 2012;47:385–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Chen W, Zhang J, Zhang ZB. Performance of air cleaners for removing multi-volatile organic compounds in indoor air. ASHRAE Trans. 2005;111:1101–14.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Russell JA, Hu Y, Chau L, Pauliushchyk M, Anastopoulos I, Anandan S, et al. Indoor-biofilter growth and exposure to airborne chemicals drive similar changes in plant root bacterial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2014;80:4805–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Darlington A, Chan M, Malloch D, Pilger C, Dixon MA. The biofiltration of indoor air: implications for air quality. Indoor Air 2000;10:39–46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Darlington AB, Dat JF, Dixon MA. The biofiltration of indoor air: air flux and temperature influences the removal of toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene. Environ Sci Technol. 2001;35:240–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Alraddadi O, Leuner H, Boor B, Rajkhowa B, Hutzel W, Dana M. Air cleaning performance of a biowall for residential applications. International High Performance Buildings Conference. 2016. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/ihpbc/185

  72. Wang Z, Zhang JS. Characterization and performance evaluation of a full-scale activated carbon-based dynamic botanical air filtration system for improving indoor air quality. Build Environ. 2011;46:758–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Soreanu G, Dixon M, Darlington A. Botanical biofiltration of indoor gaseous pollutants—a mini-review. Chem Eng J. 2013;229:585–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Mikkonen A, Li T, Vesala M, Saarenheimo J, Ahonen V, Kärenlampi S, et al. Biofiltration of airborne VOCs with green wall systems—microbial and chemical dynamics. Indoor Air. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ina.12473. 2018.

  75. Bringslimark T, Hartig T, Patil GG. The psychological benefits of indoor plants: A critical review of the experimental literature. J Environ Psychol. 2009;29:422–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Peñuelas J, Llusià J. Plant VOC emissions: making use of the unavoidable. Trends Ecol Evolution. 2004;19:402–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. Holopainen JK, Gershenzon J. Multiple stress factors and the emission of plant VOCs. Trends Plant Sci. 2010;15:176–84.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut, St. Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Bryan E. Cummings & Michael S. Waring

Authors
  1. Bryan E. Cummings
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael S. Waring
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael S. Waring.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cummings, B.E., Waring, M.S. Potted plants do not improve indoor air quality: a review and analysis of reported VOC removal efficiencies. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 30, 253–261 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-019-0175-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-019-0175-9

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links