Plants remove carbon dioxide from the air through the process of photosynthesis and release oxygen as a byproduct.
They also help clean the air of pollutants, but it's not clear which houseplant is the best at it.
In 1989, NASA researchers tried to find out if plants could clean the air in sealed environments, like the ones aboard a space station.
Different houseplants were put inside small sealed chambers with carbon monoxide, benzene and formaldehyde (all common pollutants found in the air inside a typical home).
Based on NASA’s tests, spider plants were effective at reducing carbon monoxide concentrations from 130 parts per million (ppm) – well over the generally accepted maximum safe indoor level of 9ppm – down to zero over the course of 24 hours.
Philodendron domesticum (aka spade leaf) was the best at clearing high concentrations of formaldehyde and Gerbera jamesonii (aka Gerbera daisy) did the best job of clearing benzene.
It’s important to note, however, that the plants were tested in chambers much smaller than the typical room, and the levels of formaldehyde and benzene remaining after 24 hours, were still higher than the generally accepted maximum safe concentrations.
Also, our homes aren’t sealed environments. The air exchange through windows and doors affects plants’ phytoremediation abilities, making them less efficient at cleaning their surroundings.
Studies that use real-world conditions do show small improvements in air quality thanks to houseplants, but not on the scale of the NASA results.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Eugene Abbott, Northumberland) 'Which houseplant is best for air quality?'
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