Are Sansevieria trifasciata better for airborne particulate matter removal dead or alive?

Abstract

Particulate matter (PM) is a common air pollutant linked to many human deaths and illnesses worldwide. Once emitted in the air, PM is most effectively removed by plants in phytoremediation. While the physical mechanics and factors of phytoremediation have been well-studied, there has been little attention regarding its biological mechanisms. In this empirical study, we measure the net effect of biological processes in Sansevieria trifasciata on its ability to remove PM from an enclosed space by comparing the time taken for PM to decrease in enclosures containing living specimens versus dried and pressed specimens. Our results show that live specimens are in fact worse at removing PM from their enclosures as compared to dried and pressed specimens. This suggests that biological processes can be detrimental to PM removal for some plants species.