Phyt\' air

The program Phyt' air is a research program on the feasibility of the treatment of the interior air by plants, and on their capacity of bioindication of the quality of the interior air. Since the years 2000, many studies in the whole world (Australia, Germany, England, Canada, Chile, Korea, China, Georgia, Japan and Russia) try to highlight the purifying properties of the Plante S out of pot with respect to a certain number of Polluant S, in particular those of the interior Air.

Phyt' air is a program under development by two research laboratories (CSTB Nantes, Faculté of pharmacy of Lille). It is cofinanced by the Nord/Pas-de-Calais regional delegations and Country of the Loire of ADEME and the areas Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Pays of the Loire.

It aims to consolidate the scientific data on the subject, to better include/understand the mechanisms concerned and to dimension the leaf aera necessary according to the volume of the part, the content of pollutants, and their nature.

Interior air

One often speaks about quality of the surrounding air but seldom of quality of the interior air. However, an average urban Westerner passes more than 80% of his time inside. And it is frequent that the interior air is polluted more than the surrounding air (for certain parameters at least). The control of the pollution of interior environments is one of the objectives of the approaches of the type HQE. The use of organizations living to purify the interior or external air is one of the objectives of a project of Fifteenth target HQE.

Principal pollutants, and their sources

An interior big factor of air pollution is the surrounding air. The other factors can be related to the nature of the buildings, with their history of life (painting to lead, asbestos.) or with the behavior of the occupants.
Les polluting can be of biological nature , chemical or Physique.
On counts very many aérocontaminants variable in time and space:

Made up organics volatile, of which evaporated solvents of perfumes, adhesives, paintings and printing inks. One finds also many solvents degassing of the computer materials and electric household appliances, etc).
particles, gases and vapors resulting from combustions and cooking (monoxide (CO) and Carbon dioxide (CO₂), monoxide (NO) and Dioxide nitrogen (NO₂), Sulfur dioxide (SO₂), residues of Hydrocarbon S, and other soots, with the particular case of the smoke of Tobacco.))
the Radon (which emanates from the ground or certain materials)
the biological Allergène S (dust, plants, mould, excrements of acarina, emanations or particles resulting from perfumes, produced such as adhesives, formaldehydes, fungicides, products fire-resistant, insecticidal, maintenance products, hairs of pets…)
particles or respirable fibers suspended in the air coming from the materials (Asbestos, particle of Lead, etc) and from the coatings.
the Micro-organism S (bacteria, moulds, virus and other microbes. They come from food, of waste, or from the occupants (spittles, particles resulting from sneezes and others Fomite S) or they come from outside (on airborne dust, or via excrements of dogs, cats or birds, pollens and other contaminants brought back under the soles).

… and this, inside the houses, public places, companies, offices, the aérocontaminants being more or less active and harmful according to the temperature, of the hygroscopy, the renewal of the air or Synergy S related to interactions between pollutants.

Depollution by the plants

The first scientific work on the interior air-cleaning by the plants, on the initiative of professor Bill Wolverton (NASA, the United States), goes back to the years 1980. He worked on the elimination of the chemical compounds generated by construction materials of the confined surroundings of space with an aim of having a respirable air. It was in particular charged to find a solution to renew the interior air of a space shuttle. In the years 1990, some other researchers consolidate the first results (Germany, the United States). At present, of research continue in France, in particular with Phyt' air .

The project Phyt' air

In order to cure the problems involved in the quality of the interior air, the faculty of pharmacy of Lille, in partnership with the CSTB, carries out a feasibility study for the constitution of a simple system of bioepuration of the interior air and the development of a method of qualification of the plants in order to use them like Bioindicateur. This innovating operation, registered in the orientations of PRQA Nord-Pas-de-Calais, constitutes the operational example of the launching of the economic die of bioindication in the Nord/Pas-de-Calais Area area. Association Plant' Airpur works on this project since the end of the year 1990. This association of professionals gathers producers and distributers of the sector but also of the interior designers, landscape designers and researchers. Association will be given the responsability to distribute with the professional world the results of the study.
the study aims at guaranteeing the effectiveness of a marketable system of bio interior air-cleaning, simply taking the shape of vats of house plant, judiciously selected.

Methodology of the project

Three phases of study are in the course of development with the CSTB:

Phase 1: Seek conditions of standardization of the cultures. It will be necessary in order to have standard material during the exposure of the plants to the pollutants but also on the search for materials able to increase either the phenomenon of depollution or allowing a better vegetable growth.
Phase 2: The exposure of the plants.

During this phase, a study of the kinetics of elimination of the pollutants of the air for each species of plant will be carried out. An evaluation of the bio accumulation and the bio indication will be studied. These studies will lead to a reflection finalized on the application of the systems in the places of life.

Phase 3: To consider the conditioning and the use of the plants in the places. This phase will relate then to progressive tests carried out in different places.

Plants and pollutants concerned

The project Phyt' air would relate mainly to three plants:

the Chlorophytum (Plant spider or Phalangère)
the Dracaena marginata (Dragonnier)
the Scindapsus aureus (Ivy of the devil or pothos)

And on four aérocontaminants:

the Toluene (C₆H₅CH₃)
the Benzene (C₆H₆)
the Carbon monoxide (CO)
the Formaldehyde (HCHO)

See too

Ecology
Renewal of the interior air
Wall vegetalized
Station sampling of the ambient air
HQE

External bonds

Plant' Airpur
Observatory of the quality of the interior air
Air seen of the Interior
Observatory of the quality of the interior air

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