Potentially toxic elements capture by an active living wall in indoor environments: effect of species in air phytoremediation

Indoor air pollution is a serious health problem throughout the world. Plants are known to be able to reduce the effect of air pollution and improve indoor air quality (IAQ). The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of four plant species (Tradescantia zebrina hort. ex Bosse, Phi...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Rossini Oliva, Sabina, Montiel de la Cruz, J.M., Fernández Espinosa, Antonio José, Fernández Cañero, Rafael, Fernández Cabanás, Víctor Manuel, Pérez Urrestarazu, Luis
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:idus.us.es:11441/151549
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/151549
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139799
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:toxic elements
heath risk
nature-based solutions
vertical greening systems
airborne particles
indoor air quality (IAQ)
Descripción
Sumario:Indoor air pollution is a serious health problem throughout the world. Plants are known to be able to reduce the effect of air pollution and improve indoor air quality (IAQ). The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of four plant species (Tradescantia zebrina hort. ex Bosse, Philodendron scandens K. Koch & Sello, Ficus pumila L. and Chlorophtytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques) planted in an active living wall (ALW) for capturing particle pollutants. The ALW was introduced in a glass chamber and exposed to large (10-40 µm) and fine (1.2-10 µm) airborne particles containing a fixed concentration of potentially toxic elements (Al, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb). The surface particle deposition (sPM) was estimated in the leaves from the four species and the potentially toxic element concentration in the particulate matter (PM) was measured in plants, medium culture and in the ALW support system. The distribution of different particle size fractions differed between species. The capacity to trap particles on leaf surfaces was similar among the species (4.7-13 ng cm-2) except when comparing Tradescantia and Chlorophytum with Ficus, being higher in the latter species. Differences in toxic elements accumulation capacity were observed between species depending on the elements considered. The percentage of reduction in indoor pollution using an ALW was in a range of 65-79% being similar between species. Plants were the most important component of the ALW in terms of accumulation of indoor potentially toxic elements. The data presented here could be used to model the effectiveness of ALW systems schemes in improving IAQ.