Researchers discover Ficus benjamina and Fatsia japonica remove formaldehyde gas released from synthetic woods used in furniture.
The Jerusalem Post reports.
MDF, a synthetic wood from which inexpensive furniture is made, releases formaldehyde gas and is forbidden for use in children’s furniture, as toddlers may nibble on it or breathe in the gas. But now, researchers in South Korea have identified two plants that can remove most of MDF’s formaldehyde from the air within four hours.
According to UPI, Kwang Jin Kim of Seoul’s National Horticultural Research Institute says formaldehyde is also contained in new building materials as well as carpeting, curtains, plywood and adhesives. As the gas is emitted from these sources, it causes poor air quality, which can lead to “multiple chemical sensitivity” and “sick-building syndrome.”
The researchers used the Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) and Fatsia japonica, an evergreen shrub, in three configurations (whole, roots-only with the leafy portion cut off, and stem and leaves exposed with below-ground portion sealed off). Equal amounts of formaldehyde were pumped into containers holding each type of plant.
The study, published in the Journal of American Society for Horticultural Science, found complete plants removed about 80 percent of the formaldehyde within four hours. Control chambers pumped with the same amount of formaldehyde, but not containing any plants, decreased by 7.3 % during the day and 6.9% overnight within five hours. As the length of exposure increased, the amount of absorption decreased, which appeared to be due to the reduced concentration of the gas.
Link to the EPA web page on the dangers of formaldehyde and other sources of indoor air pollution.
Photo of Ficus benjamina by tarjeplanta
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