Study shows plants absorb toxic gas

Posted on Mar 08, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Healthy Living

Researchers discover Ficus benjamina and Fatsia japonica remove formaldehyde gas released from synthetic woods used in furniture.

ficusThe 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

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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3 Responses to “Study shows plants absorb toxic gas”

  1. Leslie

    09. Mar, 2009

    i am all about using house plants to get rid of toxins in the home. I know i have talked about it before and some people are afraid of the mold… which made me think of all of ya’ll the other day when I saw big beautiful ‘Air Plants’ hanging up at the store!!! They dont need any soil and won’t make mold, they just grow in the air.
    For myself i have over 20 houseplants in pots, full of little bugs and things creating tiny eco systems to help keep the plants alive.
    I have moved into houses that even smelled of cigarette residue and thought I would barf but my plants cleaned the air within 2 days – so having my plants usually brings me a new confidence about moving from place to place with MCS, it’s a whole lot less scary when you know you have a team of plants to clean up for you :)

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  2. Susie Collins

    09. Mar, 2009

    Leslie, it’s wonderful to think of plants as our helpers to health! I live in a place very prone to mold and I never have any problems with my houseplants. I think the key is letting them dry out between waterings and making sure they have good drainage. I put two or three inches of cinder on the bottom of all the pots. I love air plants, too. We have a beautiful green air plant here that looks like long flowing hair called hinahina—- most everybody has some hanging somewhere in their garden.

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  3. Mokihana

    10. Mar, 2009

    Leslie and Susie, Thanks for the double whammy ideas for houseplants. I bought two plants a couple weeks ago … after reading Leslie’s post about houseplants and cleaning up the inside air. What I DIDN’T CONSIDER, because it’s been a while since I’ve had plants INSIDE, was the mold. I got all stuffed up just transporting the plants from the plant shop to our house. DRYING them out, since the lady who owns the shop actually repotted the plants with organic soil before I bought ‘em, is a good tip Susie. They’re doing that right now, in the other room. Good drainage with lava probably ha? Okay that’s nice stuff.

    Mahalo gals!

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