Plant Powered Air Cleaner

January 25th, 2010

Ground breaking new research has determined that plants actually clean the air! Alright, it’s not actually a new concept, but now someone has created a device to try to harness and speed up that process… on a small scale. The botanical air cleaner utilizes a plants natural phytoremediation capabilities to remove volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) from the air in the room.

Huh? Here’s the basic concept: there is a fan that draws air into the device and circulates it around the plant. The plant naturally absorbs some* toxins from the air, and recirculates the cleaner air back into the room. The effectiveness varies based on the plany, with Peace Lily, Madagascar Dragon Tree, Spider Plant and Aloe topping the list of purifying power plants.

*Notice how I said some toxins… plants can only naturally filter out VOC’s, such as formaldehyde and other toxins emitted from paint, carpets, and adhesives. This can be especially helpful in a home that was recently constructed, but even after just 6 months, these toxins aren’t much of a concern. The plants cannot filter out dust, pollen, dander, hair or anything else for that matter, making this a very specialized type of air cleaner. However, it was the winner of a Popular Science Invention Award, and it is based primarily on NASA research regarding the reduction of VOC’s through the use of plants.

There is a removable tray that allows you to easily water the plant, and the fan speed is adjustable by turning a dial. For use in rooms of any size.

Available for purchase from: Hammacher Schlemmer

Posted in Luxury Gadgets

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Plant Powered Air Cleaner