As well as making for a pretty living room decoration, indoor plants can also keep you healthy.
In a groundbreaking new study, plants have been found to remove cancer causing pollutants from indoor air, absorbing toxins like benzine that are are typically emitted through fuel burning. Keeping leafy plants in the home has been linked to lowering stress levels, helping reduce allergy symptoms - and now evidence suggests they may help you live longer.
Findings published on Thursday shows that a mix of plants removed 97 per cent of the most toxic compounds from surrounding air in just eight hours. Scientists also discovered that the more toxic the air, the faster plants work to remove compounds.
Research, led by Associate Professor Fraser Torpy of the University of Technology Sydney and Ambius landscaping, shows the critical role plants play in improving air quality.
Previous indoor plants studies have proven they can remove a broad range of indoor air contaminants. But this is the first study into plants' ability to clean up gasoline vapors - one of the largest sources of toxic compounds in buildings worldwide.
Inhaling gasoline fumes can lead to lung irritation, headaches. nausea, and has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, asthma and other chronic diseases from long term exposure - contributing to decreased life expectancy.
Poor indoor air quality is responsible for 6.7 million premature deaths globally, according to the World Health Organisation. Most people spend 90 per cent of their time indoors, so adopting new strategies to improve air quality is critical.
Associate Professor Torpy said the study results, based on measurements from a sealed chamber, had far exceeded their expectations when it came to removing gasoline pollutants from the air.
"This is the first time plants have been tested for their ability to remove gasoline-related compounds, and the results are astounding," he said.
"Not only can plants remove the majority of pollutants from the air in a matter of hours, they remove the most harmful gasoline-related pollutants from the air most efficiently. For example, known carcinogen benzene is digested at a faster rate than less harmful substances, like alcohols.
Prof Torpy added: "We also found that the more concentrated the toxins in the air, the faster and more effective the plants became at removing the toxins, showing that plants adapt to the conditions they’re growing in."
If you're looking for houseplant inspiration, these seven indoor plants can help reduce hay fever symptoms and brighten up homes. Anyone also experiencing damp conditions at home, should check out these four plants that banish mould and condensation.
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