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Researchers Genetically Modify Common Houseplant To Remove Air of Hazardous Compounds (genengnews.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News: Now, researchers at the University of Washington (UW) have genetically modified a common houseplant -- pothos ivy or devil's ivy -- to remove chloroform and benzene from the air around it. The modified plants express a mammalian protein, called 2E1, that transforms these compounds into molecules that the plants can then use to support their own growth. Small molecules like chloroform, which is present in small amounts in chlorinated water, or benzene, which is a component of gasoline, build up in our homes when we shower or boil water, or when we store cars or lawn mowers in attached garages. These compounds are too small to be captured by even HEPA air filters and exposure to each has been linked to cancer. Findings from the new study were published recently in Environmental Science & Technology.
..rid earth of toxic people.
Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Audrey begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware 2:14 AM, Eastern time, August 29th.
But aren't those Triffids lovely to look at...
This plant contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
*To Remove Hazardous Compounds from Air
Sig. Sig. Sputnik
Yep. Whoop-de-shit. I haven't been attacked by chloroform since jr high science class, and then it was deliberate.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
*SOME* plants remove benzene, though you're right that it does appear that golden pothos ivy is one of the top performers among common houseplants - so I would hope they're seeing a marked improvement to be worth mentioning. On the other hand, I'm not finding much reference to anything removing chloroform naturally.
--- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
If the plants uses those chemicals to grow, does that mean that if your house doesn't have sufficient amount of them you have to water it with gasoline? Or can it live on regular water and non-toxic stuff too?
There are quite a few houseplants that do indeed do this, but there is a bit caveat : they do it in tiny amounts. That is what gets left out of the various 'houseplants that clean the air' articles, they do not mention that you need huge numbers of them to get a measurable decrease in whatever it is they capture. So researchers that put together a plan that removes significant amounts AND only requires a small number of plants is pretty huge.
How's life in the hypocrite lane?