Abstract
The implementation of sustainable solutions for maintaining indoor air quality has become a
particular concern to the building community. Research on green technologies for indoor
air has highlighted the potential of active botanical biofiltration (ABB) systems, where the air
is circulated through the plant root zone as well as the growing medium for maximum
phytoremediation effect. ABB has been found beneficial for pollutant removal along with
the potential for increasing humidity and air cooling. Assessment in laboratory condition
revealed the removal efficiency of ABB systems ranged from 54 to 85% for total
suspended particulate matters where gaseous pollutants such as formaldehyde and
toluene removal efficiencies were 90% and over 33%, respectively, in real environment.
Moreover, the esthetic value of ABB acts as an added benefit for positive mental effects.
However, very limited data is available to date that demonstrates the pollutant removal
efficiency of ABB systems in realistic indoor environments, and the mechanisms behind
this emerging technology are still poorly understood. The purpose of this mini review study
is to present a quantitative assessment of the recent advancement of ABB systems and
indoor air quality. Finally, the limitations of ABB systems and research gaps are highlighted
for future improvement.
Keywords
Active living wall
Indoor air quality
Air filters
Building environment
Biofiltration