Indoor pollutants are found in the office and at home. They can cause a wide variety of serious respiratory and central nervous system problems. What to do? Plants have the answer with natural pollutant-fighting power. Which plants work the best to remove pollutants, and which pollutants are the most dangerous? Infographic content and design by GridSpace at HypothesisGroup. Follow on Instagram @hypothesisgroup. www.hypothesisgroup.com

1. A simple and effective way to help alleviate what
is commonly known as “sick building syndrome”
is to introduce flora into the environment. Many
plants through photosynthesis can synthesize
and neutralize pollutants. The plants below are
from a list of tested and approved NASA greenery.
THE PROBLEM THE SOLUTION
Indoor air pollution is a growing concern for a
population spending more time indoors. There
are obvious pollutants like cigarette smoke, gas
exhaust, and cleaning products, and then there
are the less obvious - like toxic chemicals released
by the "off gassing" of synthetic materials.
POLLUTANT FIGHTING PLANTS
Go Green to
BREATHE CLEAN
MAIN SOURCE:
Metal Degreaser, Organic Solvent
TRICHLOROETHYLENE
BENZENE
MAIN SOURCE:
Gasoline, Tobacco Smoke,
Paint, Industrial Emmissions
HEALTH RISKS:
Cancer, Bone
Marrow Failure
MAIN SOURCE:
Particleboard, Insulation, Synthetic
Building Materials, Cigarette Smoke
HEALTH RISKS:
Respiratory Problems,
Asthma, Eye, Nose,
and Throat Irritation
FORMALDEHYDE
HEALTH RISKS:
Respiratory Problems, Eye,
Nose, and Throat Irritation
MAIN SOURCE:
Cleaning Products
AMMONIA
HEALTH RISKS:
Tiredness, Confusion, Weakness,
Memory Loss, Nausea, Loss of
Appetite, Hearing and Vision Loss
MAIN SOURCE:
Gasoline, Paint, Paint Thinner
XYLENE & TOLUENE
HEALTH RISKS:
Heahache, Dizziness, Confusion,
Cardiac Defects, Fatal Depression
of Central Nervous System,
Parkinson’s Disease
PET FRIENDLY
BEST AT REMOVING POLLUTANT
NOTABLY EASY TO CARE FOR
BENZENE
FORMALDEHYDE
XYLENE & TOLUENE
TRICHLOROETHYLENE
AMMONIA
PEACE LILY
There has been a
substantial reduction in
production since 2007 due
to federal legislation
SPIDER PLANT
HEDERA HELIX
GERBERA DAISY
GERBERA JAMESONII
DRACANEA
DRACAENA MARGINATA
ENGLISH IVY
HEDERA HELIX
GARDEN MUM
CHRYSANTHEMUM MORIFOLIUM
LILYTURF
LIRIOPE SPICATA
SPATHIPHYLLUM 'MAUNA LOA'
COMMON INDOOR POLLUTANTS
SOURCES
Wolverton, B. C. and J. D. Wolverton. (1993).
Plants and soil microorganisms: removal of
formaldehyde, xylene, and ammonia from
the indoor environment. Journal of the
Mississippi Academy of Sciences 38(2), 11-15.
BC Wolverton, WL Douglas, K Bounds (July
1989). A study of interior landscape plants
for indoor air pollution abatement
(Report). NASA. NASA-TM-108061
Pottorff, L. Plants "Clean" Air Inside Our
Homes. Colorado State University & Denver
County Extension Master Gardener. 2010
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how dangerous a pollutant
is, by prevelance and toxicity
The Power
OF PLANTS
SNAKE PLANT
SANSEVIERIA TRIFASCIATA
'LAURENTII'