Binghamton University researchers have created artificial plants that can pull carbon dioxide out of the air while releasing oxygen and electricity as byproducts, according to a report by the university's BingUNews.
Plants are commonly used in homes for aesthetic purposes, with the side benefit of improving indoor air quality, but Professor Seokheun "Sean" Choi and Ph.D. student Maryam Rezaie have found a more efficient solution. They published their full results in the journal Advanced Sustainable Systems.
Their artificial plants are made of biological solar cells and photosynthetic cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae). Their studies found that these "plants" can achieve a 90% reduction in indoor CO2 levels, reducing 5,000 parts per million down to just 500, whereas living plants only manage a 10% reduction.
According to the American Lung Association, people in the U.S. spend around 90% of their time indoors, with many people now working from home.
"Especially after going through COVID-19, we know the significance of indoor air quality," Choi shared in the report.
"Many sources can generate very toxic materials, like building materials and carpets. We breathe out and breathe in, and that builds up carbon dioxide levels. Also, there are risks from cooking and infiltration from the outdoors."
Switching to induction stoves can help reduce toxic pollutants from burning natural gas, which is primarily composed of planet-heating methane, but there are other air-quality pitfalls in homes.
The EPA lists tobacco products, building materials, cleaning products, personal care items, and even hobbies as potential sources of indoor pollution. This new invention could work in concert with real plants to help provide even cleaner indoor air and improve the quality of life for many individuals.
"Fortunately, families can take simple steps to protect themselves from indoor air pollution, including ensuring they have a carbon monoxide detector, avoiding unnecessary wood burning in their home and using a vent hood or opening a window when cooking," said Harold Wimmer, National President and CEO for the American Lung Association.
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The process was also found to generate electricity, as the report detailed. Currently, the output is just 140 microwatts, but Choi aims to increase the output to 1 milliwatt and add a type of energy storage to the system, such as lithium-ion batteries.
"I want to be able to use this electricity to charge a cell phone or other practical uses," he said, per the article.
"With some fine-tuning, these artificial plants could be a part of every household," Choi said. "The benefits of this idea are easy to see."
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