title: Uptake of toluene and ethylbenzene by plants: removal of volatile indoor air contaminants.
abstract: Air borne uptake of toluene and ethylbenzene by twelve plant species was examined. Of the twelve plant species examined, the highest toluene removal was found in Sansevieria trifasciata, while the ethylbenzene removal from air was with Chlorophytum comosum. Toluene and ethylbenzene can penetrate the plant׳s cuticle. However, the removal rates do not appear to be correlated with numbers of stomata per plant. It was found that wax of S. trifasciata and Sansevieria hyacinthoides had greater absorption of toluene and ethylbenzene, and it contained high hexadecanoic acid. Hexadecanoic acid might be involved in toluene and ethylbenzene adsorption by cuticles wax of plants. Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis or the potential quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) in toluene exposed plants showed no significant differences between the control and the treated plants, whereas plants exposed to ethylbenzene showed significant differences or those parameters, specifically in Dracaena deremensis (Lemon lime), Dracaena sanderiana, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Cordyline fruticosa. The Fv/Fm ratio can give insight into the ability of plants to tolerate (indoor) air pollution by volatile organic chemicals (VOC). This index can be used for identification of suitable plants for treating/sequestering VOCs in contaminated air.
authors: School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut׳s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10150, Thailand.
authors: Wararat
authors: W
authors: Sriprapat
authors: Department of Urban and Industrial Environment, Science and Technology Faculty, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300, Thailand.
authors: Parinda
authors: P
authors: Suksabye
authors: Department of Urban and Industrial Environment, Science and Technology Faculty, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300, Thailand.
authors: Sirintip
authors: S
authors: Areephak
authors: Department of Urban and Industrial Environment, Science and Technology Faculty, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300, Thailand.
authors: Polawat
authors: P
authors: Klantup
authors: Department of Urban and Industrial Environment, Science and Technology Faculty, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300, Thailand.
authors: Atcharaphan
authors: A
authors: Waraha
authors: Department of Urban and Industrial Environment, Science and Technology Faculty, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Bangkok 10300, Thailand.
authors: Anuchit
authors: A
authors: Sawattan
authors: School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut׳s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10150, Thailand. Electronic address: paitip.thi@kmutt.ac.th.
authors: Paitip
authors: P
authors: Thiravetyan
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D019668:Liliaceae / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D031444:Sansevieria / Q000378:metabolism; D014050:Toluene / Q000378:metabolism*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D014050:Toluene; C004912:ethylbenzene
keywords: Ethylbenzene; Phytoremediation; Toluene; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)