Air purifiers, indoor plants: What are Delhi residents doing to fight toxic air

DElhi residents ar using “ send purifying” indoor plants to supplementation the transmit purifiers already in habituate as the air quality in the national capital dips to ‘hazardous’ levels.The "air-purifying" indoor plants are experiencing a surge in demand, and nurseries across the city report that customers are increasingly turning to these plants to improve indoor air quality."Earlier, we used to sell around 50 to 60 such plants daily, but as the pollution season nears, the sales double as we sell more than 100 air purifying plants every day," an owner of a plant nursery in Delhi's Connaught Place told news agency PTI.The most sought-after varieties include Snake Plant, Peace Lily, Areca Palm, Money Plant, Spider Plant, Aglaonema, Rubber Plant and Boston Fern.According to the nursery owners quoted in the report, buyers come with a clear idea of what they want -- plants that promise cleaner indoor air as Delhi’s air pollution levels oscillate between 'poor' and 'very poor' conditions.They say that the pattern repeats every winter, as pollution peaks and Delhiites seek natural ways to purify indoor air.Air purifiers are already in high demand in the city, with every home that can afford it having at least one of these machines to filter the air inside the premises.Can indoor plants purify the air pollution in Delhi?Experts believe that certain indoor and traditional plants can play a vital role in combating rising air pollution by absorbing harmful gases, filtering particulate matter, and improving overall air quality.“Plants like the spider plant, peace lily, and areca palm are excellent natural air purifiers that help mitigate pollution by absorbing harmful gases and releasing oxygen,” professor Anand Sonkar of Hansraj College's Department of Botany told PTI.Explaining their role in curbing pollution, Professor Sonkar said that they absorb pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and ozone through their leaves and stomata. Additionally, their leaf surfaces trap dust, smoke, and other airborne particles, thereby reducing the amount of particulate matter in the air.“Through photosynthesis, they release oxygen, support respiratory health, and help regulate temperature, which in turn reduces the formation of ground-level ozone, a major pollutant,” he added.A salesperson selling such plants said prices depend on size and variety.“An Areca Palm can start from ₹200 and go up to ₹400. A Peace Lily starts around ₹150 for smaller ones, and indoor combinations can reach ₹1,500,” the salesperson said.They added that people are spending based on the size of their homes.“Some buy four to five plants, while others, especially those in larger houses, pick 30 or 40 at once. That makes spending go from just a few hundred rupees to as high as ₹10,000.”Since Diwali, the national capital’s air quality has consistently remained in the “poor” or “very poor” category, occasionally slipping into the “severe” zone.As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.