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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. sp3 (2025): Advances in Plant Health Improvement for Sustainable Agriculture

Abating indoor air contaminants through foliage ornamentals

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8494
Submitted
24 March 2025
Published
21-10-2025

Abstract

Plants are found to remove toxic gases in the indoor atmosphere. It is well documented that plants in indoor space not only add aesthetic value but contribute and promote the improvement of indoor air quality (IAQ). Hence, this present study was taken up with an objective to study the impact of foliage ornamentals on IAQ in digital printing unit. In this experiment, three indoor foliage ornamentals viz., garden croton (Codiaeum variegatum), dumb cane (Dieffenbachia bowmannii) and song of India (Dracaena reflexa) were tested in the digital printing unit. Six plants of each genus were separately placed in the experimental unit (15 x 15 x 12 ft printing unit) for a week. A control experiment was done on the adjacent printing unit without plants and kept as control. The IAQ was monitored on an hourly basis by uHOO smart air monitor and the mean data on humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2), PM 2.5, carbon monoxide (CO) along with ozone (O3) were recorded and analyzed. It is evident from the experiment that all three foliage ornamentals viz., C. variegatum, D. reflexa and D. bowmannii improved the IAQ placed in the digital printing unit. However, among the three genus, Dieffenbachia recorded a more positive effect in modifying the indoor air during the experimental period.

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