title: Study of the removal difference in indoor particulate matter and volatile organic compounds through the application of plants.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of plants to purify indoor air by observing the effective reduction rate among pollutant types of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). PM and four types of VOCs were measured in a new building that is less than three years old and under three different conditions: before applying the plant, after applying the plant, and a room without a plant. The removal rate of each pollutant type due to the plant was also compared and analyzed. In the case of indoor PM, the removal effect was negligible because of outdoor influence. However, 9% of benzene, 75% of ethylbenzene, 72% of xylene, 75% of styrene, 50% of formaldehyde, 36% of acetaldehyde, 35% of acrolein with acetone, and 85% of toluene were reduced. The purification of indoor air by natural ventilation is meaningless because the ambient PM concentration has recently been high. However, contamination by gaseous materials such as VOCs can effectively be removed through the application of plants.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Han
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4675-3580
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jiyeon
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6910-3310
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jihyeon
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6289-5802
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Youngwook
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2420-4943
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lim
keywords: Indoor air; Particle matter; Plant; Volatile organic compounds