Comparative evaluation of air phytoremediation potential of four ornamental potted plants for ecofriendly biofilter applications

Abstract

Indoor air pollution poses serious health risks, especially in enclosed pharmaceutical laboratories due to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study evaluates Air Phytoremediation (AP) as a sustainable mitigation strategy using four indoor plant species: Epipremnum aureum , Chlorophytum comosum , Syngonium podophyllum , and Cordyline fruticosa . The removal efficiency of VOCs Benzene, Toluene, Benzaldehyde, and Acetophenone was assessed across various environments, including incubator chambers, laminar airflow cabinets, and a pharmaceutical organic lab. VOC reduction was measured by percentage removal, leaf area, and total weight absorbed. The initial concentration for each VOC was ranged between 10 and 8 ppm for (benzene, toluene, benzaldehyde, and acetophenone). The leaf area per plant species was determined using ImageJ software and ranged between 771.39 and 1471.77 cm 2 . The exposure duration was standardized at 40 min, corresponding to a realistic laboratory session Cordyline fruticosa showed the highest VOC removal efficiency at 87.5%, reducing the mean VOC concentration from 2.92 ± 0.54 ppm to 0.36 ± 0.14 ppm. Syngonium podophyllum followed with an 81.69% removal efficiency, reducing VOCs to 0.72 ± 0.17 ppm. Epipremnum aureum and Chlorophytum comosum showed removal efficiencies of 77.23% and 62.5%, respectively. Cordyline fruticosa and Syngonium podophyllum can reduce TVOC, CO 2 , CO, PM 2.5 , and PM 10 levels by 87.5%, 88.23%, 36.78%, 100%, and 100%, respectively . A combined application of Cordyline fruticosa and Syngonium podophyllum in Plant-Based Bio-Filters (PBBFs) significantly improved indoor air quality. These findings highlight the potential of AP as a natural, cost-effective solution for VOC mitigation, offering a practical approach to environmental management and sustainable indoor design in laboratory settings.