Breathe

Professor: Ahu Aydogan

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Contemporary buildings associated with energy-intensive HVAC systems typically do not remediate the majority of toxins produced within the indoor environment (Yu al., 2006). Thus, there is a need to provide efficient filtration media that protects occupants from indoor air pollutants. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of plants to remove indoor VOC’s (Aydogan and Montoya, 2011) (Fig.2). However; plants alone cannot be efficient sources of filtering. The growing media captures and filters the toxins from the air. Plants and plant-associated microbes in the rootzone convert these toxins to nutrients (Wolverton and Wolverton, 1993). However, there is still a lack of relevant data available to understand the true removal mechanisms in plant systems (Guieysse et al., 2008).  The Dynamic Filtration System incorporates plantbased air remediation strategies utilizing plant GM that acts as a toxin adsorbent. The use of AC in the GM was first demonstrated by biologists in the development of the NASA bio-home (Wolverton and Wolverton, 1993). The Dynamic Filtration System constitutes a major improvement on existing systems. The goal of this study is to design and granulate engineered GM using AC and G that will be used in the Dynamic Filtration System.