Indoor ozone levels, houseplants and peak expiratory flow rates among healthy adults in Taipei, Taiwan

Li-Te Chang; Gui-Bing Hong; Shao-Ping Weng; Hsiao-Chi Chuang; Ta-Yuan Chang; Chien-Wei Liu; Wan-Yu Chuang; Kai-Jen Chuang

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2018.11.010

Indoor ozone levels, houseplants and peak expiratory flow rates among healthy adults in Taipei, Taiwan

Environ Int. 2019 Jan:122:231-236. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.11.010. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Authors

Li-Te Chang¹, Gui-Bing Hong², Shao-Ping Weng³, Hsiao-Chi Chuang⁴, Ta-Yuan Chang⁵, Chien-Wei Liu⁶, Wan-Yu Chuang⁷, Kai-Jen Chuang⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
² Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ IHMED Fertility Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Information Management, St. Mary's Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Yilan, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁸ Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: kjc@tmu.edu.tw.

PMID: 30466779
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.11.010

Abstract

The association between houseplants and indoor air quality improvement has been reported in previous studies. However, the effect of houseplant-emitted isoprene on the association between ozone (O₃) formation and respiratory health remains unclear. We recruited 60 adult subjects from 60 houses with or without houseplants (1:1) in Taipei; twelve house visits were conducted in each home throughout 2014. The indoor air pollutants that were measured consisted of particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 μm in diameter (PM_2.5), O₃ and isoprene. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured in each study subject during each house visit. Household information was collected by a questionnaire. Mixed-effects models were used to explore the association between indoor air pollution levels and PEFR. We found that the concentrations of O₃ and isoprene in houses with houseplants were higher than those in houses without houseplants. In contrast, PM_2.5 levels and % predicted PEFR were higher in houses without houseplants than in those with houseplants. Moreover, increased levels of O₃ and PM_2.5 in houses with houseplants were associated with a decreased % predicted PEFR, especially in the summer. We concluded that increased levels of indoor O₃ and PM_2.5 were associated with decreased PEFR. The presence of houseplants was associated with indoor O₃, isoprene and PEFR variations in the summer.

Keywords: Houseplant; Indoor air; Isoprene; Ozone; Peak expiratory flow rate.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
Humans
Ozone / analysis*
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / physiology*
Plants
Taiwan

Substances

Ozone