Profiling of Indoor Plant to Deteriorate Carbon Dioxide Using Low Light Intensity

Abstract

Reasonable grounds that human needs the plants because their abilities reduce carbon dioxide (CO2). However, it is not constantly human with the plants, especially in the building. This paper intends to study the abilities of seven plants (Anthurium, Dumb Cane, Golden Pothos, Prayer Plants, Spider Plant, and Syngonium) to absorb CO2 gas. The research was conducted in chambers (one cubic meter) with temperature, lux intensity and CO2 concentration at 25±10C, 300 lux, and 450±10 ppm. Before experimental were carried out, all plants selected should be assimilated with an indoor setting for performance purpose, and the experiment was conducted during daytime (9 am-5 pm). The experiments run in triplicate. Based on the results that are using extremely low light that ever conducted on plants, only Spider Plants are not capable to absorb CO2, instead turn up the CO2 rate during respiration. Meanwhile, Prayer Plant is the most plant performed with CO2 reduction is 7.62%, and this plant also has equivalent results in triplicate study based on an ANOVA test with significant value at 0.072. The conclusions of this research, only Spider Plant cannot survive at indoor condition with extremely low light for plants live and reduce CO2 concentration for indoor air quality (IAQ). The rate of 300 lux is a minimum light at indoor that are set by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH, Malaysia).

Full text

Profiling of Indoor Plant to Deteriorate Carbon
Dioxide Using Low Light Intensity
Mohd Mahathir Suhaimi Shamsuri1,†, A.M. Leman1, Azian Hariri2 , K.A Rahman2, M.Z.M
Yusof2, and Azizi Afandi2
1 Faculty of Engineering Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM),
86400, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat,Johor Malaysia.
2 Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
(UTHM), 86400, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat,Johor Malaysia.
Abstract. Reasonable grounds that human needs the plants because their
abilities reduce carbon dioxide (CO2). However, it is not constantly human
with the plants, especially in the building. This paper intends to study the
abilities of seven plants (Anthurium, Dumb Cane, Golden Pothos, Prayer
Plants, Spider Plant, and Syngonium) to absorb CO2 gas. The research was
conducted in chambers (one cubic meter) with temperature, lux intensity
and CO2 concentration at 25±10C, 300 lux, and 450±10 ppm. Before
experimental were carried out, all plants selected should be assimilated
with an indoor setting for performance purpose, and the experiment was
conducted during daytime (9 am-5 pm). The experiments run in triplicate.
Based on the results that are using extremely low light that ever conducted
on plants, only Spider Plants are not capable to absorb CO2, instead turn up
the CO2 rate during respiration. Meanwhile, Prayer Plant is the most plant
performed with CO2 reduction is 7.62%, and this plant also has equivalent
results in triplicate study based on an ANOVA test with significant value at
0.072. The conclusions of this research, only Spider Plant cannot survive at
indoor condition with extremely low light for plants live and reduce CO2
concentration for indoor air quality (IAQ). The rate of 300 lux is a
minimum light at indoor that are set by the Department of Occupational
Safety and Health (DOSH, Malaysia).
1 Introduction
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of a contaminant when elevated at higher concentration [1].
Based on the recommendations of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating,
and Air-Conditioning Engineers), limit CO2 concentration in indoor is 1000 ppm [2].
Normally, CO2 in the building due to human respiration, and this gas has a significant effect
on human [3]. If the CO2 concentrat ion is not controlled, it will cause a headache, loss of
focus, and unconsciousness on human [4]. T‡herefore, indoor air quality (IAQ) should be
preserved wisely. Many efforts are made to achieve IAQ for both technical and
†Corresponding author: mohd_mahahir@rocketmail.com
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© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of
the Creative
Commons Attribution License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

management fields [5]. However, every study conducted to enhance air quality must be
concerned about energy usage. Around 40% of the total global energy consumed by
buildings, and it is expected to be increased by 50% in the 2030 [6]. Meanwhile, buildings
in Malaysia (resident ial and commercial building) use about 48% of the total energy that
produced by responsible bodies (Tenaga Nasional Berhad) [7].
Based on Malaysian Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA) in
2015 strongly recommended to reduce the energy consumption for improving the quality of
life and preserving natural resources and the environment. Indoor plants seem an alternative
solution in response to the suggestion. Through to studies by former researchers claim that
indoor plants are capable to serve as bio-filtration [8,9,10,11,12,13]. It is interesting to
purify the indoor air using a minimum or without energy, and this would be very beneficial
to humans.
However, indoor plants originally came from the forest, and the environments are
different compared to the indoor. The significant difference of environment between indoor
and outdoor, that effect on plant growth is lighting and temperature. Based on DOSH
(Department of Safety and Health Malaysia), propose that lighting limit for indoor building
is ranging from 300 lux to 700 lux [14], meanwhile, light intensity on daylight is more than
1000 lux. Besides that, the allowable temperature by ICOP (Industry Code of Practice) in
an office building is 230°C to 260°C [15], while Malaysian temperature at noon exciding
300°C [16].
Light is the energy source for the plant to do photosynthesis process [17]. Devkota
claim that certain plant needs a medium light (not too high or too low) to get optimum
growing [18]. Moreover, the right concentration of light imposed on the plant will cause
photosynthesis process perform preferable [19]. Other than that, blue and red light is the
color that plants strongest response for photoperiod growth and sprout, yellow and green
light will cause the color reflected back into space air [20].
In the meantime, the temperature is also one of factors that can impact on plant growth.
High temperature is usually stress for plants, restricting growth, and will damage the
photosynthetic system [21]. Whilst, low temperature also makes the plant in
photoinhibition condition, limiting the productivit y and geographical distribution of many
species, including important agricultural crops [22,23]. Because of that, optimum
temperature should be imposed on the plant environment to maximize the photosynthetic
rate [24].
Nevertheless, to meet the desire to improve air quality using plants, aptitude tests in the
building to plant life should be carried out. Based on former researchers such as Quero and
Torpy, they had allowed the plants assimilated at indoor first (for certain periods) before the
next test conducted [25,26]. Assimilation process will specify whether the plant will
survive in the building or not, since rate of light and temperature at indoor very low
compare to outdoor. Certain plants are able to down-regulate their photosynthetic apparatus
when they are assimilated to yet lower light and temperature conditions [19]. Figure 1 show
types of indoor plant in this study.
2 Method And Materials
2.1 Indoor Plant Material
Indoor ornamental plants were selected based on the existence in the local study area (Batu
Pahat, Johor). The choice of plants is also through to the recommendation by former
researchers such as Wolverton and Omar-Hor [27,28]. All plants grow in a pot-sized of 17
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cm diameter and 25cm height, and pot mix ration is 2:2:1 (garden soil, compost, and
perlite). Other than that, all plant ages that involved in this study is one year.
Before experimental were conducted, all plants involved must be assimilated with the
indoor environment for at least two months, as recommended by Drozak and Torpy [29,
26]. In assimilation process, allowing plants to tolerate with indoor environment, where
lighting and temperature is different compared to their original habitation. Light intensity
during assimilated process is 300 lux, because this is minimum rates that are prescribed by
the Department of Occupational Safety and Health [14]. Meanwhile, the temperature was
fixed at 250C due to direction from the Prime Minister Office [30].
Fig. 1. Types of Indoor Plant [28, 29].
2.2 Method
Basically the method for this study based on report that is published by Australian
Horticulture in the year 2011. In addition, this study also refers to other former researchers
[10, 31, 32] as a method guideline, to ensure there is no doubt on the results. Every plant
will be tested individually in one cubic meter chamber to analysis their performance to
reduce CO2 level. The reason why this control test is carried out because the plant also
produces CO2 [33], and before plants used in real situations, the researcher must determine
the abilities of every single plant to reduce CO2 by its own (without any other source of
CO2).
Besides that, adhesive foam-plastic insulation tape was used to provide airtight seal on
the top of the chamber, and 12V DC fan inside the chamber to promote complete mixing.
The temperature during the test was kept at 250C ± 10C to comply with Industrial Code Of
Practice On Indoor Air Quality and Prime Minister Office, Malaysia [15, 30]. Meanwhile,
the intensity of light that are provided along the tests is 300 lux, because researcher want to
investigate the abilities of plants to reduce CO2 gas (after plants was assimilated at indoor
with the same rate of 300 lux) in the chamber.
Syngonium Dumb Cane Golden Photos
Kadaka Fern Prayer Plant Spider Plant
Anthurium
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Artificial lighting was provided by fluorescent bulbs that are placed at outside the
chamber, about 30 cm from center of the plant. Apart from that, a portable IRGA TSI IAQ
meter also used to monitor the CO2 concentration in the chamber, and was set to record
CO2 reading at 5 minute intervals. All whole potted plant chamber trials were performed at
ambient of CO2 level at 450±10 ppm, where this being normal rate of indoor. Plants were
tested individually during office hours from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, and this study involving
three plants for each species (triplicate study).
2.3 Data Analysis
Data were analyzed by One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using the Statistical
Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) versions 20 for the significant analysis at α=0.05.
Mean of data also important to analyze to support the analysis.
3 Results and Discussion
Figure 2 till Figure 8 shows all finding results based on graph illustration. Each graph is
based on triplicate experiments. The findings also use the lowest light intensity that ever
used on plants to reduce CO2 level. Generally, output graphs (CO2 concentration) for all
types of plant are fluctuated, it is because plants also produce CO2 during respiration
process [24]. Respirations on plants occur for both dark and light condition, and do not like
photosynthesis, which only requires the presence of light [33]. Photosynthesis and
respiration process can be attributed with light intensity. According to Irga, found that
photosynthesis will more perform rather than respiration during high light intensity, that
mean CO2 absorption will improve without fluctuate [26]. This research uses low light
intensity (300 lux) because to comply the minimum of light intensity at indoor [14].
Table 1 shows details about CO2 reduction by each plant species. Prayer Plant is a plant
that most perform to reduce CO2 concentration by 7.62%, followed by Dumb Cane
(7.42%), Golden Pothos (6.5%), Kadaka Fern (4.65%), Syngonium (3.1%) and Anthurium
(1.1%). In order to support percentage reading of CO2 reduction, average of CO2 reading
also needed. This average is the result from 96 point reading of CO2 (5 minute interval
from 8 hours test duration) which was taken in the chamber along with the plant.
Fig. 2. Graph of CO2 absorption by Anthurium.
CO2
Concentration
Time (minutes)
Anthirium
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Fig. 3. Graph of CO2 absorption by Dumb Cane.
Fig. 4. Graph of CO2 absorption by Golden Pothos.
Fig. 5. Graph of CO2 absorption by Kadaka Fern.
Fig. 6. Graph of CO2 absorption by Prayer Plant.
CO2
Concentration
Time (minutes)
Dumb Cane
CO2
Concentration
Time (minutes)
Golden Pothos
CO2
Concentration
Time (minutes)
Kadaka Fern
CO2
Concentration
Time (minutes)
Prayer Plant
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Fig. 7. Graph of CO2 absorption by Spider Plant.
Fig. 8. Graph of CO2 absorption by Syngonium.
All average value except the Spider Plant is lower than initial reading, and that means it
supports the fact that the plants in this study were able to reduce CO2 levels even in low
lig ht conditions. CO2 reduction by Anthurium is the fewest compare to others, and 300 lux
light intensity seems the value of light compensation point (LCP) for the Anthurium whole
potted plant. LCP is light level that photosynthesis and respiration occur at the same rate
(have no CO2 reduction) [34]. Meanwhile, CO2 concentration in Spider Plant during this
study is increasing around 1.1%. Failure Spider Plant to reduce levels of CO2 is due to lack
of concentration levels of light that should have been imposed on the plant. If the intensity
of light applied to a plant does not help in the process of photosynthesis, the CO2
concentration will increase [19].
Table 1. Details of reducing CO2 by each plant species.
Type of plant
Initial CO2
reading
(ppm)
Final CO2
reading
(ppm)
Average CO2
reading for 96
point (ppm)
CO
2
reduction
(%)
ANOVA
sig. level at
α =0.05
Anthurium
452
447
449.86
1.1
0.061
Dumb Cane
453.33
419.67
439.91
7.42
0.003
Golden Pothos
454
425.67
434.76
6.5
0.056
Kadaka Fern
458.67
437.33
447.2
4.65
0.064
Prayer Plant
454.67
420
434.05
7.62
0.072
Spider Plant
455.33
458.33
458.25
-1.1
0.000
Syngonium
454
435
444.1
3.1
0.045
In this study, the researcher uses three plants for every species to conduct the
experiments. By doing so, researcher must know about the significance for every plant in
CO2
Concentration
Time (minutes)
Spider Plant
CO2
Concentration
Time (minutes)
Syngonium
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the same species through to change rate of CO2 during this study. Because of that,
researcher was used ANOVA technique in SPSS to find the significant for every plant in
the same type. This solves problem recommended by Liu [32]. In ANOVA, to determine
the significant between several groups, it depends on alpha (α) value. If alpha is greater
than 0.05, it means that each group has a significant data; otherwise, if alpha is smaller than
0.05, it means that each group has no significant data [35]. Based on the Table 1, only
Anthurium, Golden Pothos, Kadaka Fern, and Prayer Plant have significant value more
than 0.05, where the value is 0.061, 0.056, 0.064, and 0.072. From this study that use low
light level, can be seen through the data, Prayer Plant performs well, with the highest CO2
reduction, and have a higher level of significance. Unfortunately, Dumb Cane and
Syngonium have significant value that lowers than 0.05, where the value is 0.003 and
0.045, and this is what is being said by Schornack and Wang that the testing of
microbiology plant is intractable [36]. Even Dumb Cane and Syngonium have no
significant data, but, each of plant from both species capable to reduce CO2 (through to data
finding). Meanwhile, significant value for Spider Plant is zero, and that means every plant
for this species really different. From observations of researchers, found that Spider Plant
has difficulty living in the building, where, in the low light, it makes the plant wither and
fall leaves.
4 Conclusion
The focus of this study is to identify seven plant species that might function well to absorb
CO2 at indoor condition. Nevertheless, there may be constraints by plants to perform due to
light factor, where indoor lighting is much lower compared to planting origin. This clearly
when looking at Spider Plant that had no CO2 reduction on it, instead increase the value.
However, certain plants can tolerate with indoor condition after assimilation process is
conducted on plants. As evidence, types of plants such as Anthurium, Dumb Cane, Golden
Pothos, Kadaka Fern, Prayer Plant, and Syngonium capable to survive under indoor
condition (with 300 lux light intensity), and even able to slightly decrease the concentration
of CO2 in the chamber. Overall in this experiment, it was found type of Prayer Pant is the
most perform plant compare to others (based on the amount of CO2 reduction, and the
significant between plants).
The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia through the funding
supported (MyBrain15). Thank you to Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and the Centre
for Graduate Studies – UTHM.
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