• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.665-674
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• 2015

The final goal of this research is to develop a botanical biofiltration system, which combines green interior, biofiltering, and automatic irrigation, which can purify indoor air pollutants according to indoor space and the size of biofilter. The biofilter used in this experiment was designed as an integral form of water metering pump, water tank, blower, humidifier, and multi-level planting space in order to be more suitable for indoor space utilization. This study was performed to compare indoor air quality between the space adjacent to a botanical biofilter and the space away from the biofilter (control) without generation of artificial indoor air pollutants, and to evaluate plant growth depending on multiple floors within the biofilter. Each concentration of indoor air pollutants such as TVOCs, monoxide, and dioxide in the space treated with the biofilter was lower than that of control. Dracaena sanderiana ‘Vitoria’ and Epipremnum aureum ‘N Joy’ also showed normal growth responses regardless of multiple floors within the biofilter. Hence, it was confirmed that the wall-typed botanical biofilter suitable for indoor plants was effective for indoor air purification.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.579-587
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• 2016

The final goal of this research is to develop a miniaturized botanical biofilter using a wick-typed automatic humidifier for stabilizing soil moisture content (SMC) and purifying indoor air pollutants by the biofilter. This new biofilter equipped with wick-typed automatic humidifier was manufactured as more compacted design removing an absorption tower-typed humidifier compared with the previous big-sized biofilter made in 2015. This study was performed to compare changes of SMCs among floors depending on the number of wicks installed on the humidifier within the novel biofilter, and to compare changes of SMCs and plant growth parameters before and after planting Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Mauna Loa’ on the biofilter. SMCs among floors depending on the number of wicks were similar, and all regression lines of SMCs showed almost horizontal lines because of long-term stability on SMCs. Comparing plant growth parameters of S. wallisii ‘Mauna Loa’ before planting and at 30 days after planting on the biofilter, all growth parameters were not statistically significant. Thus, SMCs of the biofilter were more stabilized using this humidifying apparatus regardless of the number of wicks than the previous biofilter using absorption tower-typed humidifying apparatus.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.605-617
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• 2015

The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a botanical biofiltration system that combines a green interior, biofiltering, and automatic irrigation to purify indoor air pollutants according to indoor space and the size of biofilter. This study was performed to compare the stability of air flow characteristics and removal efficiency (RE) of fine dust within a wall-typed (vertical) botanical biofilter depending on humidifying cycle and to investigate RE of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by the biofilter. The biofilter used in this experiment was designed as an integral form of water metering pump, water tank, blower, humidifier, and multi-level planting space in order to be suitable for indoor space utilization. As a result, relative humidity, air temperature, and soil moisture content (SMC) within the biofilter showed stable values regardless of three different humidifying cycles operated by the metering pump. In particular, SMCs were consistently maintained in the range of 27.1-29.7% during all humidifying cycles; moreover, a humidifying cycle of operating for 15 min and pausing for 45 min showed the best horizontal linear regression (y = 0.0008x + 29.09) on SMC ($29.0{\pm}0.2%$) during 120 hour. REs for number of fine dust (PM10) and ultra-fine dust (PM2.5) particles passed through the biofilter were in the range of 82.7-89.7% and 65.4-73.0%, respectively. RE for weight of PM10 passed through the biofilter was in the range of 58.1-78.9%, depending on humidifying cycle. REs of xylene, ethyl benzene, total VOCs (TVOCs), and toluene passed through the biofilter were in the range of 71.3-75.5%, while REs of benzene and formaldehyde (HCHO) passed through the biofilter were 39.7% and 44.9%, respectively. Hence, it was confirmed that the wall-typed botanical biofilter suitable for indoor plants was very effective for indoor air purification.