Yes, pothos plants (Epipremnum aureum) can contribute to air purification. Their ability to remove certain airborne toxins is rooted in the fundamental physiological processes they use to live and grow. From a botanical perspective, this is not an active filtration system but a beneficial byproduct of their natural metabolism and interaction with their environment.
The primary engine behind a pothos plant's air-cleansing potential is photosynthesis. To create food (sugars), the plant's leaves absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the surrounding air through tiny pores called stomata. Simultaneously, as a product of this process, they release oxygen (O₂) back into the atmosphere. This gas exchange alone improves air quality by increasing oxygen levels. Furthermore, the plant also opens its stomata to take in other gaseous molecules present in the air, including certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Once VOCs like benzene, formaldehyde, or xylene enter the plant, they do not simply accumulate. They are broken down and metabolized. Plant enzymes can transform these toxic compounds into harmless byproducts, which are then used as a source of energy or integrated into new plant tissue. This process, known as phytodegradation, is a key method of removal.
Perhaps even more significant is the activity within the rhizosphere—the ecosystem of microbes in the soil surrounding the plant's roots. The roots themselves exude sugars and other organic compounds that support a vast community of beneficial bacteria and fungi. These microorganisms are highly effective at using airborne toxins, which are transported down to the root zone, as a food source. They digest and mineralize the VOCs, effectively removing them from the air. The plant and its root microbiome form a symbiotic partnership for purification.
The famous NASA study, conducted in 1989, was designed to research methods of improving air quality in sealed space stations. They tested several common houseplants, including pothos, for their ability to remove synthetic VOCs from a sealed experimental chamber. The study concluded that pothos was effective at reducing concentrations of pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene.
From a plant science viewpoint, the closed environment of the study was crucial. It demonstrated the plant's metabolic capacity to process a finite amount of pollutants without the constant influx of new contaminated air found in a typical home. The research highlighted that the entire system—leaf surface, plant tissue, and, most importantly, the root zone and its associated microorganisms—worked together to achieve this purification.
While the biological capability is real, its practical impact in a home or office setting is limited by scale. A single pothos plant has a finite metabolic rate; it can only process as many gas molecules as its leaf surface area and root microbiome can handle. Modern buildings have constant air exchange, and new VOCs are continuously off-gassed from furniture, cleaning products, and building materials. Therefore, while a pothos plant is actively purifying the air immediately around it, it cannot single-handedly purify the air in an entire room at the rate new pollutants are introduced. The effect is localized and supplemental rather than comprehensive. To significantly impact a large volume of air, a very large number of plants would be required.
