NASA Guide ICP A eee tts Houseplants It won't surprise you to hear that the majority of people spend the bulk of their time indoors, whether it’s at home or working in an office environment. As such, it's important to ensure that air quality is of a high standard, something that regular houseplants can help achieve. Back in 1989, NASA conducted a Clean Air Study in association with Associated Landscape Contractors of America, in an effort to find the most effective common indoor plants for filtering harmful toxins and pollutants from the air. Their results have stood the test of time, and the most effective air filtering plants can be found below. ‘WHAT'S IN OUR AIR? 1) MOOSE TRICHLOROETHYLENE FORMALDEHYDE BENZENE XYLENE AMMONIA Found in printing inks, Found in paperbags, -Usedomake plastics, Found in printing, Found in window paints, lacquers, waxed papers, facial resins, synthetic ibres, rubber, leather and paint cleaners, loor waxes, varnishes, adhesives and tissues, paper towels, rubber lubricants, dyes, industries, tobaccosmoke smelling sats and aint remover/stripper. able napkins, particle detergents, drugsand and vehicle exhausts fenilizers board, plywood paneling, pesticides. Can also be and synthetic fabrics. found in tobacco smoke, vehicle exhausts, glue, paint and furniture wax. WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS ON HUMANS? Like most chemicals, the adverse health effects you may encounter depend on several factors, including the amount to which you are exposed, the way you are exposed, the duration of exposure and the form of the chemical. Below are common symptoms associated with each toxic agent. TRICHLOROETHYLENE XYLENE Symptoms associated with short term exposure include irritation to mouth and throat, dizziness, headache, confusion, heart problems, liver and kidney damage and coma, ‘Symptoms associated with short term exposure include excitement, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting followed by drowsiness and coma FORMALDEHYDE AMMONIA Symptoms associated with short cerm, exposure include eye irritation, coughing and sore throat. Symptoms associated with short term exposure include irritation to nose, ‘mouth and throat, and in severe cases, swelling of the larynx and lungs, BENZENE ‘Symptoms associated with short term PLEASE NOTE exper nce iitation ey serie plas aon ay is Series diesen vem a bk rate, headaches, confusion and in some eee eg a aan a toxicity of plants before introducing them to your home. ILTERING PLAN DWARF DATE PALM — BOSTON FERN KIMBERLEY SPIDER PLANT CHINESE Phoenix: robelenii Nephrolepis exaltata QUEEN FERN = Chioropytumcomosum © EVERGREEN lepis obliterata Aglaonema modestum DEE DOA BAMBOO PALM WEEPING FIG DEVIL'S IVY FLAMINGO LILY LILYTURF Chamaedorea seifrizii Ficus benjamina Epipremnum aurewm Ani jum andraeanum Liriope spicata BROADLEAF BARBERTON ‘CORNSTALK ENGLISH IVY VARIGATED LADY PALM DAISY DRACAENA, Hedera helix SNAKE PLANT Rhapis excelsa Gerbera jameson a fragrans Sansevieria tifasciata Massangeana “Laurenti naee WS RED-EDGED PEACE LILY FLORIST'S DRACAENA, Spathiphylium CHRYSANTHEMUM. Dracaena marginata Mauna Lod Chrysanthemum morifo dot tad ol) (OL) ee eae ee