Effectiveness of houseplants in reducing the indoor air pollutant ozone

Three common indoor houseplants, snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), and golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), were evaluated for their species effectiveness in reducing ozone concentrations in a simulated indoor environment. Continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) chambers housed within a greenhouse equipped with a charcoal filtration air supply system were used to simulate an indoor environment in which ozone concentrations could be measured and regulated. Ozone was injected into the chambers and when concentrations reached 200 ± 5 ppb, the ozone-generating system was turned off and ozone concentrations over time (ozone was monitored every 5-6 min in each chamber) were recorded until about <5 ppb were measured in the treatment chamber. On average, ozone depletion time (time from when the ozone generating system was turned off at ≊200 ppb to <5 ppb in the chamber) ranged from 38 to 120 min per evaluation. Ozone depletion rates were higher within chambers that contained plants than within control chambers without plants, but there were no plant species differences.