NASA Clean Air Study

{{Short description|1989 study of plants removing air pollutants}}

File:Chamaedorea seifrizii7.jpg (Chamaedorea seifrizii)]]

The NASA Clean Air Study was a project led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in association with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) in 1989, to research ways to clean the air in sealed environments such as space stations. Its results suggested that, in addition to absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis, certain common indoor plants may also provide a natural way of removing volatile organic pollutants (benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene were tested).{{cite report |title=Interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19930073077 |author1=BC Wolverton |author2=WL Douglas |author3=K Bounds |date=September 1989 |id=NASA-TM-101766 |publisher=NASA}}

These results are not applicable to typical buildings, where outdoor-to-indoor air exchange already removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a rate that could only be matched by the placement of 10–1000 plants/m{{sup|2}} of a building's floor space.{{cite journal |last1=Cummings |first1=Bryan E. |last2=Waring |first2=Michael S. |title=Potted plants do not improve indoor air quality: a review and analysis of reported VOC removal efficiencies |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-019-0175-9 |journal=Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology |pages=253–261 |language=en |doi=10.1038/s41370-019-0175-9 |date=March 2020|volume=30 |issue=2 |pmid=31695112 |bibcode=2020JESEE..30..253C |s2cid=207911697 |url-access=subscription }}

The results also failed to replicate in future studies, with a 2014 review stating that:{{cite journal |last1=Dela Cruz |first1=M |last2=Christensen |first2=JH |last3=Thomsen |first3=JD |last4=Müller |first4=R |date=2014 |title=Can ornamental potted plants remove volatile organic compounds from indoor air? – a review |url=https://greenplantsforgreenbuildings.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Dela-Cruz-2014-review-on-phytoremediation-with-indoor-plants-2.pdf |journal=Environmental Science and Pollution Research |volume=21 |issue=24 |pages=13909–13928 |doi=10.1007/s11356-014-3240-x |pmid=25056742|bibcode=2014ESPR...2113909D |s2cid=207272189 | access-date = 15 August 2018}}

{{Quote|While the plant's ability to take up VOCs is well documented in laboratory studies, the effect of plants on indoor air in complex environments like offices requires further investigations to clarify the full capacity of plants in real-life settings.}}

List of plants studied

The following plants were tested during the initial 1989 study:Wolverton, B. C., et al. [https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf A study of interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement: an interim report.] NASA. September, 1989.

Variegated snake plant / mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata laurentii)
English ivy (Hedera helix)
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
Red-edged dracaena, marginata (Dracaena marginata)
Cornstalk dracaena, mass cane/corn cane (Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana')
Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)American Society for Horticultural Science. [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217141419.htm Indoor plants can reduce formaldehyde levels.] ScienceDaily. February 20, 2009. Quote: "...Complete plants removed approximately 80% of the formaldehyde within 4 hours. Control chambers pumped with the same amount of formaldehyde, but not containing any plant parts, decreased by 7.3% during the day and 6.9% overnight within 5 hours..." In reference to: Kim, J. K., et al. (2008). [http://journal.ashspublications.org/content/133/4/521.full Efficiency of volatile formaldehyde removal by indoor plants: contribution of aerial plant parts versus the root zone.] Horticultural Science 133: 479-627.
Barberton daisy, gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
Florist's chrysanthemum, pot mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
Janet Craig (Dracaena deremensis "Janet Craig")
Warneckei (Dracaena deremensis "Warneckei")

Additional research

Since the release of the initial 1989 study, titled A study of interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement: An Interim Report,{{cite journal |author=Wolverton, B. C. |title=A study of interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement: An Interim Report |date=July 1989 |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930072988.pdf |journal=NASA Technical Reports Server |access-date=3 May 2020}} further research has been done including a 1993 paperWolverton, B. C. and J. D. Wolverton. (1993). [http://www.wolvertonenvironmental.com/MsAcad-93.pdf Plants and soil microorganisms: removal of formaldehyde, xylene, and ammonia from the indoor environment.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205111118/http://www.wolvertonenvironmental.com/MsAcad-93.pdf |date=2016-02-05 }} Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 38(2), 11-15. and 1996 bookWolverton, B. C. (1996) How to Grow Fresh Air. New York: Penguin Books. by B. C. Wolverton, the primary researcher on the original NASA study, that listed additional plants and focused on the removal of specific chemicals. A different study in 2004 has also shown that the micro-organisms in the soil of a potted plant remove benzene from the air, and that some plant species themselves also contribute to removing benzene.{{cite journal |author1=Orwell, R. |author2=Wood, R. |author3=Tarran, J. |author4=Torpy, F. |author5=Burchett, M. |year=2004 |title=Removal of Benzene by the Indoor Plant/Substrate Microcosm and Implications for Air Quality |journal=Water, Air, & Soil Pollution |volume=157 |issue=1–4 |pages=193–207 |doi=10.1023/B:WATE.0000038896.55713.5b|bibcode=2004WASP..157..193O |s2cid=59469964 }}

=Other studies=

Plants studied in various similar studies on air filtration:

class="wikitable sortable"

!Plant, removes:

! data-sort-type="number" | Total μg/h of benzene removedPottorff, Laura. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070203160911/http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Plants/clean.htm Plants "Clean" Air Inside Our Homes.] Colorado State University & Denver County Extension Master Gardener. 2010.

! data-sort-type="number" | Total μg/h of formaldehyde removed

! data-sort-type="number" | Total μg/h of trichloroethylene removed

!xylene and toluene!!ammonia

Dwarf date palm (Phoenix roebelenii)

|1,385

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens)

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis')

|1,863

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Kimberley queen fern (Nephrolepis obliterata)

|1,328

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

English ivy (Hedera helix)

|579

|402 -1,120

|298

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

|560

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Devil's ivy, Pothos plant (Epipremnum aureum)

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')

|1,725

|674

|1,128

|{{yes}}

Flamingo lily (Anthurium andraeanum)

|{{yes}}

Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)

|604Wolverton, B. C., et al. [https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf Interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement: final report.] NASA. September, 1989. pp 11-12.

|183

|{{no}}

Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

|1,420

|3,196

|688

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

|660

|{{yes}}

Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa)

|876

|{{yes}}

Variegated snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii')

|1,196

|1,304

|405

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron cordatum)

|353

|{{no}}

Selloum philodendron
(Philodendron bipinnatifidum)

|361

|{{no}}

Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum)

|416

|{{no}}

Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)

|1,264

|853

|1,137

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana')

|938

|421

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)

|940

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

|4,486

|1,622

|{{no}}

Florist's chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)

|3,205

|1,450

|{{yes}}

Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)

|{{no}}

Dendrobium orchids (Dendrobium spp.)

|756

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Dumb canes (Dieffenbachia spp.)

|754

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

King of hearts (Homalomena wallisii)

|668

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.)

|240

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Aloe vera (Aloe vera)

|1{{Cite web |title=15 houseplants for improving indoor air quality |url=http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/photos/15-houseplants-for-improving-indoor-air-quality/aloe-aloe-vera |website=MNN - Mother Nature Network |access-date=2016-01-04}}

|{{no}}

Janet Craig (Dracaena fragrans "Janet Craig/Cornstalk Plant")

|1,082

|1,361 - 2,037

|764

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Warneckei (Dracaena deremensis "Warneckei")

|1,630

|760

|573

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Banana (Musa acuminata)

|488

|{{no}}

References

External links

'Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution' {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101202322/http://www.wolvertonenvironmental.com/NASA-Report-89.pdf |date=2018-11-01 }}
[http://greenspaces.in/blog/ted09/ How to Grow Your Own Fresh Air – TED 2009.] An extension of the TED Talk.

Category:Soil science-related lists

Category:Lists of plants

Category:Building biology

Category:1989 works

Category:NASA

Category:Indoor air pollution

NASA Clean Air Study

List of plants studied

Additional research

=Other studies=

See also

References

External links