• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.751-762
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• 2015

This study was performed to investigate the stability of soil moisture in controlling air ventilation rate within a horizontal biofilter, and to compare removal efficiency (RE) of indoor air pollutants including fine dust, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and formaldehyde (HCHO), depending on whether dieffenbachias (Diffenbachia amoena) were planted in the biofilter. The relative humidity, air temperature, and soil moisture contents showed stable values, regardless of the presence of D. amoena, and the plants grew normally in the biofilter. REs for number of fine dust particles (PM10 and PM2.5) within the biofilter filled with only soil were at least 30% and 2%, respectively. REs for number of fine dust particles (PM10 and PM2.5) within the biofilter including the plants were above 40% and 4%, respectively. RE for fine dust (PM10) weight was above 4% and 20%, respectively, in the biofilter containing only soil or soil together with plants. In the case of the biofilter filled with only soil, REs for xylene, ethylbenzene, toluene or total VOC (T-VOC) were each more than 63%; however, REs for benzene and formaldehyde (HCHO) were above 22% and 38%, respectively. In the biofilter with the plants, REs for xylene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and T-VOC were each above 72%, and REs for benzene and HCHO were above 39%. Thus, RE of the biofilter integrated with plants was found to be higher for volatile organic compounds than for fine dust. Hence, the biofilter was very effective for indoor air quality improvement and the effect was higher when integrated with plants.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.62-68
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• 2018

This study investigated the effect of light intensity on the removal of particulate matter by Dieffenbachia amoena 'Marianne' and Spathiphyllum spp.. An acrylic chamber ($600{\times}800{\times}1200mm$, $L{\times}W{\times}H$) modeled as an indoor space and a green bio-filter ($495{\times}495{\times}1000mm$, $L{\times}W{\times}H$) as an air purification device were made of acrylic. The removal of particulate matter PM10 and PM1, the photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and number of stomata of Dieffenbachia amoena 'Marianne' and Spathiphyllum spp. were measured according to three different levels of light intensity (0, 30 and $60{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}PPFD$). Regarding the length of time taken for PM10 to reach $1{\mu}g$, the Dieffenbachia amoena 'Marianne' showed a significant difference according to the presence or absence of light, and there was no significant difference shown between light intensity of 30 and $60{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}PPFD$. As for the Spathiphyllum spp., there was no significant difference between 0 and $30{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}PPFD$, while a significant difference was shown at $60{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}PPFD$. After 90 minutes, the PM1, PM10, and $CO_2$ residuals of the Spathiphyllum spp. were lowest at $60{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}PPFD$. The remaining amount of PM1 and PM10 was lower with the Spathiphyllum spp. than with the Dieffenbachia amoena 'Marianne', even at $0{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}PPFD$. With both plants, the higher the light intensity, the higher the photosynthetic rate, while the stomatal conductance did not show any significant difference. Spathiphyllum spp. showed a higher photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance and a greater number of stomata than Dieffenbachia amoena 'Marianne', and stomata were observed in both the front and back sides of the leaves. The air purification effect of Spathiphyllum spp. is considered to be better than Dieffenbachia amoena 'Marianne' at the same light intensity due to such plant characteristics. Therefore, in order to select effective indoor plants for the removal of particulate contamination in an indoor space, the characteristics of plants such as the photosynthetic rate and the number and arrangement of stomata according to indoor light intensity should be considered.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.203-209
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• 2010

This study was performed to investigate photosynthetic responses of 4 foliage plants in relation to light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, and media, and to select efficient plants for the indoor environment control based on the results. Four foliage plants used in this study included Syngonium podophyllum, Schefflera arboricola cv. Hong Kong, Dieffenbachia amoena, and Dracaena deremensis cv. Warneckii Compacta. The plants cultivated in two different growth media, peatmoss and hydroball, and subjected to various light intensities (0, 30, 50, 80, 100, 200, 400, and $600\;{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD) and $CO_2$ levels (0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 700, 1000, and $1500\;{\mu}mol{CO_2}{\cdot}mol^{-1}$). As a result of the photosynthetic rate of foliage plants according to change of light intensity and $CO_2$ levels, Schefflera arboricola and Dieffenbachia amoena showed high apparent quantum yield, which stands for the photosynthetic rate under low light intensity, and both plants also recorded higher photosynthetic rate under high $CO_2$ concentration compared to the other two indoor plants. Dracaena deremensis showed the lowest photosynthetic rate under the low light intensity or high $CO_2$ concentration. There were inconsistent results in photosynthetic rate of foliage plants grown in peatmoss or hydroball. Higher photosynthetic rate was observed in Schefflera arboricola with peatmoss rather than hydroball as light and $CO_2$ concentration increased. However, hydroball had a positive effect on Dieffenbachia amoena in terms of photosynthetic rate. In case of Syngonium podophyllum, peatmoss induced higher photosynthetic rate according to increased light intensity, but there was no effect of media on the rate under various $CO_2$ treatements. In contrast, media did not affect to photosynthetic efficiency of Dracaena deremensis subjected to various light intensities and the rate of Dracaena deremensis with peatmoss was a little high when $CO_2$ concentration increased. In conclusion, potential plants for the indoor air pulification and environmental control were Schefflera arboricola and Dieffenbachia amoena because they showed high photosynthetic rate under typical indoor conditions, low light intensity and high $CO_2$ concentration.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the changes of electric potentials of leaf surface induced by environmental stimuli in plant. The values of electric potentials varied with different intervals of light on and off, and light qualities and moreover, their changes were also varied according to the time of a day. Additionally, stimuli such as candle light, wind, or 5$^{\circ}C$ cool water spray also evoked considerable changes in leaf surface electric potentials and their signal patterns varied with species of plants tested. In frequency analysis of electric potentials, the distribution values by FFT were highest in 1-10 Hz frequency zone by the majority of stimuli. These results suggested that changes in leaf surface electric potentials depended upon plant species even though stimulus was the same and vice versa.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.931-938
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• 2012

The effects were investigated of different lengths and numbers of slitwalls in drainless containers on growth and change in soil moisture volumes on the growth of Diffenbachia amoena 'Marianne' and Begonia rex. Drainless containers filled with amended soil, with square shape ($240mm{\times}240mm$) were used, as well as three different sets of slitwalls (2, 4 or 8, respectively) in addition to non-slitwall containers. Two indoor foliage plants were grown in slitwall containers in randomized blocks with 3 replications in greenhouse conditions, from March to September, 2009. Soil moisture volumes per container were measured by weighing containers every 2 hours during the day. The change in soil moisture volumes showed considerable differences among slitwalls tested in comparison to control containers before and after twice-weekly irrigation. Particularly, the differences in the S2 (195mm, slitwall 2) containers were significantly greater than other containers tested. For Diffenbachia amoena 'Marianne', plant height, length of leaf, dry weight and fresh weight were higher with S2 containers than with those grown in other containers tested. The Begonia rex with the best quality in terms of plant height, length of leaf and width of leaf was grown in S8 (360mm, slitwall 8) containers. Particularly, statistical analysis has indicated that shoot fresh weights of Begonia rex grown in S8 were 3-fold higher than those grown in CS8 containers. The different results obtained within the two species led us to hypothesize a species-specific influence on indoor foliage plant performance. However, plants of both species grown in slitwall containers showed good results compared with plants grown in non-slitwall containers.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.928-936
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• 2010

This study was conducted to select efficient foliage plants for improving indoor environment conditions through the investigation of physiological responses including photosynthetic rate according to temperature, light intensity, and $CO_2$ level. Eight popular foliage plants used in this study were $Hedera$ $helix$ L., $Cissus$ $rhombifolia$ Vahl, $Ficus$ $benjamina$ L. 'Hawaii', $Syngonium$ $podophyllum$ Schott 'Albo-Virens', $Dieffenbachia$ $sp.$ 'Marrianne', $Pachira$ $aquatica$ Aubl., $Spathiphyllum$ $wallisii$ Regel, and $Scindapsus$ $aureus$ Engler. Photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate of the plants subjected to various light intensities (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 300, and $600{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD), $CO_2$ levels (0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 700, and $1,000{\mu}molCO_2{\cdot}mol^{-1}$), and two different temperatures (16 and $22^{\circ}C$) were measured. In addition, various parameters in relation to photosynthesis were calculated from the measured data. As a result, the patterns of photosynthesis varied among 8 foliage plants according to light intensity, $CO_2$ level, and temperature. Most foliage plants except $Dieffenbachia$ had high levels of apparent quantum yield, which represents the photosynthetic rate under low light intensity (PPFD $0-100{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$). $Hedera$ $helix$, $Ficus$ $benjamina$, $Pachira$ $aquatica$, and $Spathiphyllum$ $wallisii$ exposed to high light intensity (PPFD $200-600{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$) showed high levels of photosynthesis. $Cissus$ $rhombifolia$ and $Syngonium$ $podophyllum$ were low in $CO_2$ fixation efficiency compared to the other 6 foliage indoor plants. $Hedera$ $helix$ and $Spathiphyllum$ $wallisii$ showed high photosynthetic rate under high $CO_2$ level and vigorous photosynthesis was also observed in $Ficus$ $benjamina$ and $Pachira$ $aquatica$ grown under $22^{\circ}C$. Considering characteristics of indoor environment such as low light, high $CO_2$ level, and low relative humidity, therefore, $Hedera$ $helix$, $Spathiphyllum$ $wallisii$, $Ficus$ $benjamina$, and $Pachira$ $aquatica$ were efficient indoor foliage plants to improve indoor environmental conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.43-54
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• 1989

In recent years plants have increasingly become in inferior part of the interior designing of large buildings. In 28 large buildings selected at random in Seoul City have been subjected to studies on utilization status of fille interior landscape plants. The results obtained were as follows. 1. Plant class found in Interior of large buildings were 59 class, especially Dracaena were the most predominent plants among them, and then comes Monstera, Phiodendron, Schefflera, and Washingtonia in that order. 2. The most abundant ornamental plant cultivars were Monstera adansoii(Monstera perutusa cv.), and then comes Schefflera arboricora(Schefflera Hong Kong cv.), Washingionia rubusta (Washingtonia palm). Rhapis excelsa, and Diffenbachia(Hawaii Snow cv.) in that order. 3. Foliage plants among the interior landscape plants showed 99.5 percent and Woody plants and Bonsai plants showed each 0.4, 0.1 percent. 4. Climbing foliage plants found in 28 large building observed For the present study were 9 cultivar, and the most abundant plants were Hedera (pittsburgh cv.) and Epipremnum (Marble Queen cv.) pl anted to clustered planting. 5. A majority of plants used to plastic pot, and most of 71an1s place on the floor. 6. Height of plants ranging less then 50cm were more frequently found, but ranging from 50cm to 2.0m were 4.3 percent and the most predominent height of plants were Canariensis showed 4m in the large buildings. 7. Interior light intensity in large building were shortage, therefore artificial lamp for formal growing needed to be equipped. 8. Purpose growth of interior plants were to in order visitors. 9. 7he superintendents prefered to used pot-stand. 10. The most important environment factor for plant growing were light, humidity, and water.