Does green radish absorb formaldehyde?
How to scientifically remove formaldehyde after decoration of a new house? As a common indoor green plant, green radish has always attracted much attention for its air-purifying effect. This paper will deeply analyze the true role of green radish in formaldehyde management through botanical principles and experimental data. Scientific principles of formaldehyde removal by green radish: Photosynthesis transformation mechanism Experiments at the School of Environmental Sciences of Nanjing University show that green radish leaves can absorb formaldehyde molecules through stomata under light conditions, of which about 40% participate in the light reaction to produce glucose, and the remaining 60% are excreted through transpiration. This metabolic ability allows the average daily formaldehyde absorption of a single plant to reach 0.12mg/m³. Physical adsorption characteristics The surface of the leaves is densely covered with pores with a diameter of 0.2-0.5μm, which combined with the villi structure can adsorb PM2.5 particles and formaldehyde molecules. Data from China Environmental Monitoring Station shows that the daily adsorption capacity per square meter of leaf area is about 0.08mg, which is equivalent to 15 pots of medium-sized green radish in a 10㎡ room. Limiting metabolic rate bottleneck for green radish removal of formaldehyde Plant physiological research shows that formaldehyde only accounts for 7.3% of the photosynthetic raw materials, and the main metabolite is still carbon dioxide. The average daily purification capacity of a single plant of green radish is only equivalent to 1/5 of the respiratory emissions of adults, making it difficult to cope with the high concentration of pollution in the early stage of decoration. Environmental factors restrict the stomatal closure rate to 83% when the temperature is below 15℃, and the metabolic efficiency drops by 92% in the absence of light at night. These characteristics lead to a significant reduction in the purification efficiency of green radish in winter or confined spaces. Basic ventilation strategy for scientific formaldehyde removal system plan The School of Environment of Tsinghua University recommends adopting the "3+2+1" ventilation method: 3 forced ventilation times a day (30 minutes each time), combined with 2 hours of fresh air system operation, and 1 indoor and outdoor air convection. This plan can reduce the formaldehyde concentration by 67% within 7 days. The plant collaboration system recommends the golden combination of "Green Rose + Lingyun + Ivy": Lingyun is responsible for purifying the 0.8- 1.5 m high altitude area, green Rose covers 0.3- 0.8 m space, and Ivy focuses on controlling the release source of furniture. Equipped with 5 pots of combined plants per 10㎡, the purification efficiency is increased by 3.8 times.
As a "biological purifier", green radish should be positioned as an auxiliary role in formaldehyde treatment. It is recommended to use scientific means such as activated carbon adsorption (50g per square meter) and photocatalyst treatment (once per quarter) to build a comprehensive air purification system. Regular wiping of leaves with a damp cloth can increase the adsorption efficiency by 30%, and combined with applying foliar fertilizer once a month (diluting 500 times beer solution) can enhance metabolic ability.