The in situ pilot-scale phytoremediation of airborne VOCs and particulate matter with an active green wall

Pettit, T; Irga, PJ; Torpy, FR

The in situ pilot-scale phytoremediation of airborne VOCs and particulate matter with an active green wall

Pettit, T

Irga, PJ

Torpy, FR

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, 2019, 12 (1), pp. 33 - 44
Issue Date:: 2019-01-08

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Pettit, T https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2707-7764	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Irga, PJ https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5952-0658	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Torpy, FR https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9137-6948	en_US
dc.date.available	2020-05-25T19:09:09Z
dc.date.issued	2019-01-08	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, 2019, 12 (1), pp. 33 - 44	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1873-9318	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/130783
dc.description.abstract	© 2018, Springer Nature B.V. Atmospheric pollutant phytoremediation technologies, such as potted plants and green walls, have been thoroughly tested in lab-scale experiments for their potential to remove air pollutants. The functional value of these technologies, however, is yet to be adequately assessed in situ, in ‘high value’ environments, where pollutant removal will provide the greatest occupant health benefits. Air pollution in countries such as China is a significant public health issue, and efficient air pollution control technologies are needed. This work used pilot-scale trials to test the capacity of potted plants, a passive green wall and an active green wall (AGW) to remove particulate matter (PM) and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) from a room in a suburban residential house in Sydney, Australia, followed by an assessment of the AGW’s potential to remove these pollutants from a classroom in Beijing. In the residential room, compared to potted plants and the passive green wall, the AGW maintained TVOCs at significantly lower concentrations throughout the experimental period (average TVOC concentration 72.5% lower than the control), with a similar trend observed for PM. In the classroom, the AGW reduced the average TVOC concentration by ~ 28% over a 20-min testing period compared to levels with no green wall and a filtered HVAC system in operation. The average ambient PM concentration in the classroom with the HVAC system operating was 101.18 μg/m 3 , which was reduced by 42.6% by the AGW. With further empirical validation, AGWs may be implemented to efficiently clean indoor air through functional reductions in PM and TVOC concentrations.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1007/s11869-018-0628-7	en_US
dc.title	The in situ pilot-scale phytoremediation of airborne VOCs and particulate matter with an active green wall	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	12	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	12	en_US

Abstract:

© 2018, Springer Nature B.V. Atmospheric pollutant phytoremediation technologies, such as potted plants and green walls, have been thoroughly tested in lab-scale experiments for their potential to remove air pollutants. The functional value of these technologies, however, is yet to be adequately assessed in situ, in ‘high value’ environments, where pollutant removal will provide the greatest occupant health benefits. Air pollution in countries such as China is a significant public health issue, and efficient air pollution control technologies are needed. This work used pilot-scale trials to test the capacity of potted plants, a passive green wall and an active green wall (AGW) to remove particulate matter (PM) and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) from a room in a suburban residential house in Sydney, Australia, followed by an assessment of the AGW’s potential to remove these pollutants from a classroom in Beijing. In the residential room, compared to potted plants and the passive green wall, the AGW maintained TVOCs at significantly lower concentrations throughout the experimental period (average TVOC concentration 72.5% lower than the control), with a similar trend observed for PM. In the classroom, the AGW reduced the average TVOC concentration by ~ 28% over a 20-min testing period compared to levels with no green wall and a filtered HVAC system in operation. The average ambient PM concentration in the classroom with the HVAC system operating was 101.18 μg/m 3 , which was reduced by 42.6% by the AGW. With further empirical validation, AGWs may be implemented to efficiently clean indoor air through functional reductions in PM and TVOC concentrations.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/130783