Page 77 - Zbornik_Konf_2019

https://doi.org/10.15414/2019.9788055220703

4 International Scientific Conference Abstracts Book
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'PHYTOUNITS' FOR AMELIORATION OF INDOOR AIR ENVIRONMENT WITHIN HEALTH‐
CARE FACILITIES

1
3
1
Lyudmyla Buyun , Roman Ivannikov , Volodymyr Yakymets , Adriian Kozhokaru ,
2
Roman Stepan'kov ,Iryna Kharitonova
1
4
1 M.M. Gryshko National Botanic Garden, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
Kyiv, Ukraine; E-mail.: buyun@nbg.kiev.ua
2 State Scientific Institution 'Center for Innovative Medical Technologies of the National Academy of
Sciences of Ukraine', Kyiv, Ukraine
3
Ukrainian Military Medical Academy, Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
4 LLC 'TOPENERGY', Kyiv, Ukraine
At present, the quality of indoor air in hospitals is an important issue, widely discussed
worldwide. The application of phytoremediation approach is one of the successful technique
to improve the hospital environment, therefore the objective of this project was to develop
compositions ('phytoremediation units' or 'phytounits') from tropical plants to protect
patients and healthcare workers against various types of pollution and hospital-acquired
infections. On the initial step, the screening of the collection of tropical and subtropical plants
of National Botanic Garden (NBG) was performed to identify plants with high potency to
absorb the harmful substances from indoor air, e.g. carbon monoxide and dioxide (CO and
CO2), formaldehyde (H2CO), benzene (C6H6), nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2), particulate matter
(PM), because of the adverse health effects they have caused. Based on the long-time
experimental investigation carried out at NBG (with SEM, LM, physiological, biochemical, and
microbiological methods) it was recognized that more than 100 species of tropical and
subtropical plants characterized by the potent capacity to uptake harmful substances from
indoor air and to released VOCs active against pathogenic microorganisms, such as
Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans etc.
Taking into account these considerations, we have elaborated the 'phytounits' composed
by tropical ornamental plants for improvement of the indoor air environment. Additionally,
plant compositions were equipped by LED lamps to provide plants with optimal growth-light
spectrum. The experimental samples of 'phytounits' were introduced into different locations
inside the 'Center for Innovative Medical Technologies', i.e. in surgical unit and rehabilitation
unit.
The screening of antimicrobial activity of 'phytounits' was undertaken in clinical
departments of the 'Center for Innovative Medical Technologies'. It was revealed that the
number of Staphylococcus saprophyticus colonies in air sampled with Krotov's device after
two-weeks exposition was reduced by half, supporting the high phytoncide activity of plants
against this microorganism, potential causative agent of nosocomial infection in a patient in
hospitals. While α- and β- hemolytic streptococci, and Staphylococcus aureus have not been
found in the sampled air.
Thus, the findings of this project confirmed the therapeutic value of tropical plants in
the hospital environment as an effective method for the amelioration of indoor air quality.

Keywords: tropical plants, phytoremediation, "phytounits", pollutants, hospital-acquired infections.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine through the State Funding
(Innovation project (#394-FM)).

4 International Scientific Conference Agrobiodiversity Nutrition, Health and Quality of Human and Bees Life |77
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September 11–13, 2019