Botanical biofiltration of indoor gaseous pollutants - A mini-review

In the last decade, indoor air pollution has been unanimously recognised as a public health hazard worldwide, both in developed and developing countries. Accumulation of indoor air pollutants appears to significantly contribute to “sick building syndrome” (SBS) and other reported diseases in affected spaces. Botanical biofiltration has received a great deal of attention in the past decade, likely due its economical, environmental and social benefits, including its potential in the near future to be incorporated in both traditional and the new trend of sustainable zero-emission green buildings. This paper focuses on the potential and challenges of using botanical biofiltration for reducing the impact of gaseous pollutants in indoor environments. It is aimed at reviewing the current state of the art and the future research needs.