The Problem
Indoor air quality is a serious issue that effects millions of people. While outdoor air pollution receives the majority of concern and attention, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found at 2 to 5 times higher concentrations indoors than outdoors. These VOCs can have short and long term effects and are released into the indoor environment from materials like paint, cleaning supplies, pesticides, and building materials. Exposure to VOCs can cause liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage, and are known to cause cancer in animals, and suspected of causing cancer in humans. One of the most dangerous VOCs is formaldehyde, which is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as a carcinogen. There is controversy currently involving indoor pollution from extreme formaldehyde levels found in flooring manufactured by the company Lumber Liquidators. Their flooring was tested to have formaldehyde emissions six to seven times above state standards, causing many families to panic.
The Solution?
Team BREATHE (Biowalls Reducing Exposure to Atmospheric Toxins and Hazards in an Environment) is in the beginning stages of a research project exploring the use of indoor biowalls to reduce VOC levels indoors. Biowalls, like the one shown above (from furbishco.com), are living walls with plants growing from the wall. Hyphomicrobium is a genus of bacteria found on plant roots that has been shown to remove VOCs from the air, and actually thrive from them. Team BREATHE will explore how plants and these bacteria can be used in a biowall to optimize VOC removal.
The Problem
Indoor air quality is a serious issue that effects millions of people. While outdoor air pollution receives the majority of concern and attention, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found at 2 to 5 times higher concentrations indoors than outdoors. These VOCs can have short and long term effects and are released into the indoor environment from materials like paint, cleaning supplies, pesticides, and building materials. Exposure to VOCs can cause liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage, and are known to cause cancer in animals, and suspected of causing cancer in humans. One of the most dangerous VOCs is formaldehyde, which is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as a carcinogen. There is controversy currently involving indoor pollution from extreme formaldehyde levels found in flooring manufactured by the company Lumber Liquidators. Their flooring was tested to have formaldehyde emissions six to seven times above state standards, causing many families to panic.
The Solution?
Team BREATHE (Biowalls Reducing Exposure to Atmospheric Toxins and Hazards in an Environment) is in the beginning stages of a research project exploring the use of indoor biowalls to reduce VOC levels indoors. Biowalls, like the one shown above (from furbishco.com), are living walls with plants growing from the wall. Hyphomicrobium is a genus of bacteria found on plant roots that has been shown to remove VOCs from the air, and actually thrive from them. Team BREATHE will explore how plants and these bacteria can be used in a biowall to optimize VOC removal.