RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Elucidation of the mechanisms of VOC removal in botanical filters during indoor air treatment in a test chamber
A1 Montaluisa Mantilla, María Sol
A1 Lebrero Fernández, Raquel
A1 García Encina, Pedro Antonio
A1 Muñoz Torre, Raúl
K1 Biofiltration
K1 Degradation
K1 ImageJ
K1 Indoor air quality
K1 Phytoremediation
K1 Screening
K1 3308 Ingeniería y Tecnología del Medio Ambiente
AB The removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor environments using plants has attracted increasing attention as an effective natural mitigation strategy. In this study, five indoor plant species (Epipremnum aureum, Syngonium podophyllum, Spathiphyllum wallisii, Dieffenbachia and Monstera adansonii) grown hydroponically under controlled conditions were used to systematically quantify VOC removal by the leaves, whole cuttings and roots. Acetone, toluene, α-pinene, o-xylene, and limonene were selected as model indoor air pollutants. The results showed a marked variability in the leaf-based VOC removal efficiency among the plant species and pollutant, but complete VOC removal was never obtained. However, the whole plant cuttings supported complete and rapid (20–115 h) removals of all VOCs. Finally, the root-associated microorganisms were shown to significantly contribute to VOC removal, mainly through rhizodegradation. Overall, this study suggest that VOC removal by plant cuttings is due to the combined effects of physical adsorption and metabolic degradation mediated by plants and microorganisms, highlighting the synergistic role of plant morphological traits and rhizospheric microbial communities in phytoremediation.
PB Elsevier
SN 0360-1323
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/79957
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/79957
LA eng
NO Building and Environment, 2026, vol. 287, p. 113775
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 21-nov-2025