Indoor plants and their impact on air quality

While indoor plants are popular for their aesthetic value and ability to produce oxygen through photosynthesis, experts note they are not a substitute for proper ventilation or a primary method for air purification.

John Tregoning, a professor at Imperial College London, points out a significant gap between plant production and human needs: a single plant produces only a few liters of oxygen per day, whereas a person consumes approximately 500 liters. Consequently, hundreds of plants would be required to match the oxygen consumption of one individual. Furthermore, Tregoning warns that excessively high oxygen levels in an enclosed space can be toxic.

A 2023 study published in Cleaner Engineering and Technology examined how various species, including the spider plant, peace lily, pothos, snake plant, aglaonema, and dracaena, interact with carbon dioxide. The research, conducted using different light levels, highlighted that while plants can remove CO2, the effectiveness is highly dependent on available light and the sheer volume of plants present.