It is common knowledge that plants help us breathe cleaner air by converting the carbon dioxide we exhale into fresh oxygen through photosynthesis. Plants are also able to remove toxins from the air we breathe, according to research.
This Paris-based startup has developed a genetically modified houseplant that performs the same job but with the power of 30 air purifiers.
Many people add houseplants to their homes to bring life into rooms and to create unique home designs. This houseplant is not only visually appealing, but it can also act as an air purifier.
The Power of 30 Air Purifiers
BGR reports that these genetically engineered houseplants are from a company called Neoplants. How did they come up with this? The same report tells us that the company modified a pothos plant (Epipremnum aureum) and its root microbiome to enhance the plant's natural air-cleaning properties.
The company is calling its creation the Neo P1, and the genetically modified plant is now available for the public to buy. Neoplants currently has a waiting list for people who want to get their hands on their very own Neo P1. Check out their official website here.
The company says that plants like the Neo P1 are not only effective air purifiers but also promote a way of cleaning air without using traditional air purifiers and filters that run on electricity. Now people can have cleaner air that is also sustainable and does not contribute to worsening carbon emissions in the long run.
Engineers at Neoplants were keen to avoid modifying sections of the genome that could improve the plant's survival in the wild.
"We don't give a selective advantage to the plant. We don't make it grow faster, we don't increase its resistance to pesticides," a representative explained to Inverse.
Now talking about the plants' enhanced air-cleaning capabilities, Neoplants advertises that their plants are proven effective in targeting volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful gasses from chemicals such as paint, adhesives, upholstery, and more.
In a blog post, the company says that Neoplants are bioengineered to remove toxins like benzene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde from the air, which can increase the risk of several health problems.
Breathe Cleaner Air
As previously stated, poor indoor air quality is linked to health problems. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that household air pollution was responsible for an estimated 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020, including over 237 000 deaths of children under the age of 5.
These alarming figures necessitate the extensive use of improved air filtering methods. According to a NASA study from 1998, adding plant systems could be effective in removing high concentrations of indoor air pollutants such as cigarette smoke, organic solvents, and possibly radon.
According to the research, plant roots and their associated microorganisms can also destroy pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and organic chemicals, converting all of these air pollutants into new plant tissue.
Related Article: Artificial Photosynthesis: Researchers Find a Way to Grow Plants Without Sunlight Through a Device
