dzȯ ȸ
14 2ȣ, June 2015
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ISSN : 2288-9167 (Print)
ISSN : 2288-923X (Online)
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Efficiency of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene removal using 7 indoor plants
*賭ȫ롤赿
Abstracts
The efficiency of using 7 indoor plants, which were Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Ficus robusta, Sansevienria
trifasciata, Rhapis excelsa, Scindapusus aureus, Anthurium andraeanum and Pachira aquatica, for BTE (Benzene,
Toluene, Ethylbenzene) removal were assessed at 1200 Lux light intensity in airtight chambers (1.27 m3). Rhapis
excelsa, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens and Ficus robusta were among the most effective plants, completely removing
for BTE within 38 hours, wherease Scindapusus aureus and Sansevienria trifasciata were the lowest in terms
of removal efficiency. But when the removal efficiency was measured per unit leaf area (gm−3−2), it was found
that Scindapusus aureus, Anthurium andraeanum and Sansevienria trifasciata removed higher amount than Rhapis
excelsa, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens and Ficus robusta. Plants with wide leaves and a big leaf area including
Rhapis excelsa and Chrysalidocarpus lutescens showed higher removal efficiencies of BTE than those with
smaller leaves such as Scindapusus aureus. Among the plants tested over 120 hours, the species that emitted the
highest levels of CO2, involved with photosynthesis and respiration in plants, Pachira aquatica (11,560 ppm) was
emitting 10 times more CO2 than Scindapusus aureus (1,260 ppm).
Keywords : Indoor air quality, Phytoremediation, VOCs, Unit leaf area