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

S Rossini-Oliva; J M Montiel de La Cruz; A J Fernández-Espinosa; R Fernández-Cañero; V M Fernández-Cabanás; L Pérez Urrestarazu

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139799

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

Chemosphere. 2023 Nov:340:139799. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139799. Epub 2023 Aug 11.

Authors

S Rossini-Oliva¹, J M Montiel de La Cruz², A J Fernández-Espinosa³, R Fernández-Cañero², V M Fernández-Cabanás², L Pérez Urrestarazu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Seville, Avda. Reina Mercedes S/n, Apartado de Correos, 1095, 41012, Sevilla, Spain; Environmental Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, 41012, Sevilla, Spain. Electronic address: sabina@us.es.
² Urban Greening and Biosystems Engineering Research Group, ETSIA, Departamento de Agronomía, University of Seville, 410133, Sevilla, Spain.
³ Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Seville, Profesor García González 1, 41012, Sevilla, Spain; Environmental Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, 41012, Sevilla, Spain.
⁴ Urban Greening and Biosystems Engineering Research Group, ETSIA, University of Seville, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.

PMID: 37574085
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139799

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Airborne particles; Heath risk; Indoor air quality (IAQ); Nature-based solutions; Toxic elements; Vertical greening systems.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution*
Air Pollution, Indoor* / analysis
Biodegradation, Environmental
Environmental Monitoring
Particle Size
Particulate Matter / analysis
Plants

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter