Discover plants that purify the air
See which plants can be grown indoors that purify the air
What might your office or apartment have in common with a NASA spacecraft? Unfortunately the answer could be poor air quality. Indoor air pollutants rank among the top five environmental hazards to public health: Stagnant indoor environments allow pollutants to accumulate in greater amounts than humans should be breathing. Living and working in locations contaminated with air conditioning and without ventilation can cause "sick building syndrome", which can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and irritation to the eyes, ears and nose. Lucky for us, NASA scientists have been working to understand this problem and find solutions. His space-age solution was easy to use: use houseplants that purify the air.
- What is air pollution? Know causes and types
- 9 out of 10 people in the world breathe polluted air
- Air pollution kills more than AIDS and Malaria together, says UN
Everyone knows that plants can innovate the decoration of the home, but not everyone knows what benefits each one can bring to the environment, especially to the air. There are many, but here are some plants that improve the air at home to get to know:
Plants that purify the air
1. Crysanthemum morifolium
In NASA research, this is one of the most air-purifying plants. It removes ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and xylene from indoor air - significant air contaminants . Popular and inexpensive at garden stores, it can be planted outside after the flowers have fallen;
2. Dracaena sp
There are over 40 different types of Dracaena plants, making it easy to find one that's perfect for your home or office. They are plants that purify the air and have broad foliage, often with white, cream or red lines, which remove benzene, formaldehyde, trichlorethylene and xylene. However, this plant is toxic to dogs and cats;
3. Peace lily
As there is a lot of pollution in big cities, it is necessary to be careful with the air you breathe. There are plants that help to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and are considered to be plants that purify the air. An example in this regard is the peace lily, which is above all beautiful and easy to care for;
4. Fern
The ferns (Nephrolephs exaltata v. Bostonians) purify the air when they are in a cool environment with high humidity and indirect light. They are relatively easy to grow but need to stay moist. Check your fern's soil daily to see if it needs water, and give it a good bath once a month. It helps to remove pollutants such as formaldehyde and xylene;
5. Sword-of-Saint-Jeorge
Saint George's Sword (Sanseviera trifaciata) it is one of the hardest-to-kill air-purifying plants. Although you need to water it occasionally, it usually prefers drier conditions and a little sun. And it removes pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichlorethylene and xylene;
6. Chlorophyte (Chlorophytum comosum)
Edited and resized image of Mokkie, available on Wikimedia
This little plant is part of those that purify the air. It grows quickly and has tiny white flowers. It has an even better effect if placed in the kitchen or near the fireplace, as these are the places where carbon monoxide accumulates the most. It also helps to remove formaldehyde and xylene, which are compounds that pollute the air;
7. Aloe (aloe vera)
In addition to being easy to care for, Aloe vera has health benefits. The plant's leaves contain a clear liquid filled with vitamins, enzymes, amino acids and other compounds that have healing, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and there is some evidence that aloe vera can help skins such as psoriasis. Besides of course, being one of the plants that purify the air, removing formaldehyde.
Check out more benefits of these plants in the article: "Aloe vera: benefits of aloe vera, how to use it and what it is for".
