In an addition to an Austin Air Purifer, Plants may also help with Air Quality in your Office.

These days offices and homes are well constructed and energy efficient.  In order to be energy efficient, houses and offices are highly insulated and well sealed.  The problem is, this heightens the problem of indoor air pollution.  Some synthetic building materials used in modern construction have been found to produce pollutants that remain trapped.  This results in what is called the Sick Building Syndrome.

Air ausrin air purifier can do an excellent job of cleaning the air in your home and office.  But even if you have an ausitn air purifier, odds are the air outside is just as clean, if not cleaner.  This is because trees and plants are constantly cleaning carbon dioxide and other toxins out of the air around them. 

While any green plant will do this, it stands to reason that some plants are more efficient than others.  Some plants are even known to clean chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene.  But how are consumers to figure out which plants offer the most cleaning bang for their buck?

NASA has actually conducted an official study on the best air-purifying plants.  They studied how well they remove chemical vapors, resist insects, and how easy they are to maintain.  Here is a list of the top 10 plants from that study:

The Peace Lilly
The Peace Lilly is a relatively easy plant to take care of.  It doesn’t need a lot of direct sunlight, and you only need to water it about once a week.  This plant is mildly toxic to humans and animals when ingested, so be sure to keep it out of the reach of pets and small children.

The Boston Fern
Ninth on the list is the Boston Fern.  MetaEfficient.com  called it the “most efficient filtering plant for its ability to clear out mold and toxins.  Aesthetically, the Fern recalls forest greenery.  When indoors the fern grows best in bright filtered light.  Because the fern thrives best in humid

The Ficus Alii
While the Ficus is not as effective as the rubber plant, it is still a good choice for home or office where you need cleaner air.  The Ficus is easy to care for, but anyone with latex allergies should wear gloves while handling the plant.

The Dwarf Date Palm
While not quite as high-ranking as its palm cousins, the Date Palm is still an effective and elegant way to enhance the look of a room and  lower the concentration of chemical toxins.

English Ivy
This plant is great for people with asthma, allergies, or simply the desire for cleaner, fresher air.  WebMD notes that English Ivy cleared 60% of airborne mold from a room within about 6 hours.

The Dracaena
The Dracaena plant has wide, long leaves with a surface area well suited for air cleaning.  While it is rare when kept indoors, the ‘Janet Craig’ dracaena can produce strongly fragrant white flowers if it is chilled.

The Rubber Plant
Rubber plants are good at removing chemical toxins from indoor air, and require less light than many other plants.  Keep in mind: rubber plants are toxic if ingested, so keep it out of reach of pets and small children.

The Bamboo Palm
The Bamboo Palm thrives when it’s kept moist and in direct sunlight.  It has been a popular houseplant for over a century now.   Be sure to keep it out of drafty areas, as that can lessen the effectiveness of the air cleaning process.

The Lady Palm
This plant is quite versatile, and can be kept in dry or humid climates.  As an added bonus, it is resistant to most types of plant insects.  This palm is actually native to southeastern Asia, but it’s easy to maintain in your own home.

The Areca Palm
Not only does the Areca Palm offer efficient and effective air cleaning, but it actually helps to humidify your home.  This is a great advantage for those dry winter months where your home is sealed against the cold weather.

NASA studies show that combining plants with a bed of activated carbon, such as those found in Austin Air Purifiers, clean air more effectively than plants or Austin Air Purifiers alone.  Combining an Austin Air purifier with your house or office plants is especially important if you have problems with dust or tobacco smoke in your home.  While these plants can filter out many chemicals, they are unable to filter out larger particles in the same way that an air purifier can.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_air-filtering_plants
http://webecoist.com/2009/04/08/air-purifying-plants/
http://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20091204/is-your-homes-air-unhealthy-try-plants
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/houseplants.html http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h110Indoorair.html

Source: Air Purifiers USA
Author: Barry Midwinter

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