The Plant Air Purifier® uses a common houseplant to clean the air. Plants have natural air-cleaning abilities, but to use plants as air filters is difficult due to the numerous houseplants necessary to clean air sufficiently and efficiently. This is the capability of the Plant Air Purifier®; one Plant Air Purifier® has the cleaning power of 100 standard houseplants. The Plant Air Purifier® achieves this through a unique design that increases airflow past the root system which is the host of toxin consuming microbes.
Air containing toxic elements passes through the porous growing media and activated carbon by means of a high velocity fan. The activated carbon within the media attracts chemicals and holds them until the microscopic organisms (microbes) eat the toxins. The byproducts of the consumption process are nontoxic food and energy for themselves and the host plant. Over time microbes adapt to their environment and the chemicals they are exposed to; they quickly acclimate to the amount and type of toxins in the air, thus becoming more efficient at consuming these chemicals.
After a plant is repotted from soil to hydroculture, the plant grows what are known as “water roots”. These roots are adaptive of the plant to its environment and continue to be a host to the microbes. Hydroculture, as opposed to soil, allows for the roots and microbes to be exposed to more air therefore collecting and consuming toxins more efficiently than soil-grown plants. Microbes are exceptional at consuming organic, or carbon based, particles such as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, known carcinogens.
The inner pot is specially designed to ensure the maximum air flow through the media and activated carbon allowing the air to be cleaned more efficiently. The pot design is also intended to hold enough water for up to one week depending on the number of hours the fan is run and the humidity in the air. The water window is a simple way to see when the plant needs watering or the base needs cleaning of residue build up. The low-water shutoff built into the unit stops the fan in the event the plant is low on water. This shutoff mechanism prevents the plant roots from drying if the water level becomes too low. Combining hydroculture, air circulation, and nature’s natural ability to clean the air, Dr. Wolverton and the design team of the Plant Air Purifier® developed a product that can clean indoor air and significantly reduce peoples exposure to harmful airborne toxins.
