Air purifiers are essential devices for many families in which some of their members suffer from sensitivity to certain allergens, but also for those of us who are looking for improve air quality general that we breathe daily inside the house.
However, they are not the only option available to clean the air of impurities in contaminated environments, since some domestic plants are also effective in this task, although its decontaminating power is slower and limited.
Neo PX, the plant that promises to purify the air at home
The Neoplants company claims that it has developed an interesting system called Neo PX which promises to improve air purification at home using a very popular plant for this task vitaminized with special bacteria that live in the soil.
In principle it was a plant belonging to the family of the devil’s ivy or pothos (Epipremnum aureum), which had been genetically modified and named Neo P1which according to what they say was equivalent to 30 normal houseplants in terms of air purification performance. The plant stood out in its ability to capture and neutralize toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the air given off by carpets, furniture, paint, cleaners and other household materials.
But now its creators have gone further, making it unnecessary to have this genetic modification thanks to what they have called “Power Drops”a microbe-containing supplement that users would need to regularly add to the soil.
The current system Neo PX therefore consists of an unmodified pothos plantpotting soil, a system-specific pot, and a supply of Power Drops containing a special strain of the bacteria Pseudomonas putidaselectively bred over five years by those responsible for the project for its appetite for consuming benzene, toluene and xylene, three of the most common VOCs.
The microbes also receive nutrients from the plant and also feed on the soy protein contained in the droplets. Once added to soil, some of the bacteria live on and around the roots of the plant, while others migrate to the leaves and stem. This last group helps the plant capture VOCs, which are transported to the roots.
The first group then absorbs and metabolizes those compounds, converting them into carbon sources such as amino acids and sugars that feed the plant. However, over time the bacterial population begins to decrease, so Power Drops should be added to the soil once a month with a price of about 9 dollars.
The plant must also be watered, although the special pot in the set includes a deposit known as Shell which should work for two or three weeks before needing to be refilled.
Price and availability
The Neo PX system has already begun to be available through the Neoplants websitewith a price of 119 dollars for a bundle that includes a six-month supply of Power Drops and a $39 quarterly subscription. An interesting product but somewhat expensive at the moment.
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