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Cited by 120Indoor Air Quality and Microbial ExposureOdor and Emission Control TechnologiesAerosol Filtration and Electrostatic Precipitation

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Testing the single-pass VOC removal efficiency of an active green wall using methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)

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Torpy, Fraser, Clements, Nicholas, Pollinger, Max, Dengel, Andy, Mulvihill, Isaac, He, Chuan, Irga, Peter·2018·Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health
DOI 10.1007/s11869-017-0518-4PMC PMC5847137
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Abstract

In recent years, research into the efficacy of indoor air biofiltration mechanisms, notably living green walls, has become more prevalent. Whilst green walls are often utilised within the built environment for their biophilic effects, there is little evidence demonstrating the efficacy of active green wall biofiltration for the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at concentrations found within an interior environment. The current work describes a novel approach to quantifying the VOC removal effectiveness by an active living green wall, which uses a mechanical system to force air through the substrate and plant foliage. After developing a single-pass efficiency protocol to understand the immediate effects of the system, the active green wall was installed into a 30-m 3 chamber representative of a single room and presented with the contaminant 2-butanone (methyl ethyl ketone; MEK), a VOC commonly found in interior environments through its use in textile and plastic manufacture. Chamber inlet levels of MEK remained steady at 33.91 ± 0.541 ppbv. Utilising a forced-air system to draw the contaminated air through a green wall based on a soil-less growing medium containing activated carbon, the combined effects of substrate media and botanical component within the biofiltration system showed statistically significant VOC reduction, averaging 57% single-pass removal efficiency over multiple test procedures. These results indicate a high level of VOC removal efficiency for the active green wall biofilter tested and provide evidence that active biofiltration may aid in reducing exposure to VOCs in the indoor environment.

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Fig. 1 Schematic of the botanical biofiltration system tested and photograph of the fully assembled system. The plants displayed in the photograph of the botanical biofilter differ from those described in the current work
Fig. 1 Schematic of the botanical biofiltration system tested and photograph of the fully assembled system. The plants displayed in the photograph of the botanical biofilter differ from those described in the current workCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 2 Schematic of the test chamber. VOC concentrations were monitored at both chamber inlet and outlet during the trials
Fig. 2 Schematic of the test chamber. VOC concentrations were monitored at both chamber inlet and outlet during the trialsCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 3 Results from three single-pass efficiency trials for biowall MEK removal. Data are means ± SE, n = 3
Fig. 3 Results from three single-pass efficiency trials for biowall MEK removal. Data are means ± SE, n = 3CC BY · PubMed Central

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Metadata

Authors
Torpy, F., Clements, N., Pollinger, M., Dengel, A., Mulvihill, I., He, C., & Irga, P.
Affiliations
  • University of Technology Sydney (AU)
  • Mayo Clinic (US)
  • Building Research Establishment (GB)
Corresponding author
Torpy, Fraser
ORCID
Venue
Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2017-10-27
Volume
11
Issue
2
Pages
163-170
ISSN
  • 1873-9318 (ISSN-L)
  • 1873-9326
DOI
10.1007/s11869-017-0518-4
PMC
PMC5847137
OpenAlex
W2766970526
Cited by
120
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 7
FWCI
4.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Air Quality Atmosphere & Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • OPUS - Open Publications of UTS Scholars (University of Technology Sydney) (submittedVersion)
  • UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Delos, Well Building standard
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
  • Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Process Chemistry and Technology › Odor and Emission Control Technologies
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Aerosol Filtration and Electrostatic Precipitation
Keywords
biofiltration, volatile organic compounds, methyl ethyl ketone, indoor air quality, VOC removal efficiency, indoor air pollution

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