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Research by NASA in the 1980s showed that indoor plants increase humidity in offices with fixed windows, where breathing dry air produced by air-conditioning systems can cause respiratory and other health problems. Plants also improve air quality by removing air pollutants. Many of these pollutants are emissions from synthetic fabrics, furnishings, paints, glues and computer terminals.
Bioeffluents produced by humans also contribute to office air pollution. These include carbon monoxide, methane, volatile fatty acids and phenols. Further research in this area is being done at the University of Technology, Sydney.
Plants remove air pollutants by a process which takes place on a microscopic scale. Stomata, or tiny holes, on the undersides of leaves transpire and give off moisture at night. The moisture attracts airborne pollutants. The pollutants leach in a liquid form down through the plant to the root zone, where microbial action changes the pollutants into non-threatening compounds.