in 1989, a team at NASA conducted its ‘clean air study’ to investigate the naturally filtering properties of plant life. NASA had conducted the study in response to the ‘sick building syndrome,’ as it came to be known late into 20th century. during that time, fresh air exchange in buildings was sacrificed in favor of reduced energy usage — to lower the cost of heating and cooling a building, interiors were super-insulated sealed air tight. of course, this condition saw the rise of various illnesses transmitted due to the lack of natural ventilation and fresh air. at the same time, that era saw the use of synthetic building materials that gradually emitted harmful ‘off-gases.’ the team of researchers at NASA conclude that in addition to the use of safer building materials and the minimization of mechanical ventilation, indoor air pollution can be greatly mitigated by the introduction of ‘nature’s life support system,’ plants.

 

 

the NASA clean air study concluded that certain plants can act a natural air filter to remove organic air pollutants — benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene were tested. as part of the study, which spanned two years, a collection of plants were placed in a sealed air chamber and exposed to high concentration of the chemicals. researchers then documented the percentage of the chemical that had been removed from the sealed space after a 24 hour period. below is a list of the top 18 plants that NASA determined to be the most effective at naturally filtering out indoor air pollutants.

 

 

english ivy (hedera helix)

nasa clean air plants
image by theplantchica, etsy

 

 

devil’s ivy, pothos plant (epipremnum aureum)

nasa clean air plants
image by the sill

 

 

peace lily (spathiphyllum ‘mauna loa’)

nasa clean air plants
image by prettyingreenplants, etsy

 

 

chinese evergreen (aglaonema modestum)

nasa clean air plants
image by the spruce

 

 

bamboo palm (chamaedorea seifrizii)

nasa clean air plants
image by bloomscape

 

variegated sanseviera ‘snake plant,’ (dracaena trifasciata ‘laurentii’)

nasa clean air plants
image by the spruce

 

 

heartleaf philodendron (philodendron cordatum)

nasa clean air plants
image by plant shop seattle

 

 

selloum philodendron, lacy tree philodendron (philodendron bipinnatifidum)

nasa clean air plants
image by seedvillageUSA, etsy

 

 

elephant ear philodendron (philodendron domesticum)

nasa clean air plants
image by gardenerdy

 

 

red-edged dracaena, marginata (dracaena marginata)

nasa clean air plants
image by artterrarium

 

 

cornstalk dracaena (dracaena fragrans ‘massangeana’)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by plantvine

 

 

weeping fig (ficus benjamina)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by the spruce

 

 

barberton daisy, gerbera daisy (gerbera jamesonii)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by the spruce

 

 

florist’s chrysanthemum, (chrysanthemum morifolium)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by longwood gardens

 

 

aloe vera (aloe vera)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by terrain

 

 

janet craig (dracaena deremensis)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by root98warehouse, etsy

 

 

warneckii (dracaena deremensis)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by house of plants

 

 

banana (musa oriana)

in search of fresh air: NASA lists the indoor plants that will naturally clean your space
image by the spruce

 

 

project info:

 

report: interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement

team: national aeronautics and space administration (NASA), the associated landscape contractors of america (ALCA)

date: september 15th, 1989