[freebeard]

Indoor air quality(VOCs):
singularityhub.com: This Engineered ‘Superplant’ Cleans Indoor Air Like 30 Regular Plants

Over the course of the Covid pandemic, millions of people invested in air purifiers in an effort to keep their homes or offices as virus-free as possible. Soon they may be able to trade their electric air purifiers for a version that’s far more natural: a plant. Last week a French company called Neoplants unveiled a plant engineered with the singular purpose of cleaning the air inside peoples’ homes.

Just one Neo P1, as the company dubbed its initial product, can remove as much pollution from a home’s air as 30 regular plants, the company says. Neo P1 was in development for four years, and is a bioengineered version of a common houseplant called Pothos.

Most air purifiers are designed to remove particulate matter, like dust, dirt, smoke, or airborne bacteria. But Neo P1 was made to combat a type of pollution called volatile organic compounds. These are found in all sorts of household items, from furniture and cleaning products to paint, upholstery, and flooring. The chemicals in these items that are most harmful to human health—which are also the ones the plant was engineered to neutralize—are formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and xylene. They can contribute to lung problems like cancer and COPD, as well as heart disease and other health issues.