Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that can be controlled both consciously and unconsciously. Human beings are lucky in that we don’t have to have to “think” about breathing unless we want to. But, just because you don’t have to think about breathing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about what you’re breathing in.
Our environment, both indoors and outdoors, exposes us to everything from smog and allergens to downright toxic fumes. The chemicals used to make our curtains and couches look pretty can release noxious emissions - even in newer furniture. And who could forget the news that Hurricane Katrina victims were living in trailers with dangerous levels of formaldehyde? It’s no surprise that air filters have become a household staple. But traditional air filters mostly catch particulates like pollen and dust rather than dangerous gases. Now, two inventors have developed a device that eliminates a wide range of airborne toxins using nature’s original filtration system: plants.
Called the Bel-Air, Mathieu LeHanneur and David Edwards devised this super-efficient filtration system based on NASA research regarding how plants absorb chemicals. Edwards, a Harvard University biomedical engineer, found that certain plant types can remove chemicals in the air – but only when the air touches them. With Edwards findings in mind, LeHanneaur, a French product designer, constructed a container to circulate as much air as possible around a plant. One fan sucks in air to blow around the plant’s leaves and another fan circulates air down into the soil to reach the roots. A tray beneath the roots gives the air a “humid bath”, purifying it even more while maintaining plant moisture (soil, just like a plant, is a natural filter and helps to remove more chemicals from the air). In clinical trials, the Bel-Air reduced formaldehyde contamination by 80 percent within one hour.
LeHanneur and Edwards worked for a year and spent about $236,000 so far to develop their invention. Originally, they created the Bel-Air for an art exhibit at Le Leboratorie, a Paris-based gallery that displays artist/scientist collaborations. The natural beauty of the plants combined with the stylish appearance of the containers generated interest in the invention, and the device was soon exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and named one of the best inventions of the year by Popular Science. The inventors plan to tweak the design of the Bel-Air to make it more suitable for home use and begin manufacturing the product.
For updates on the development of the Bel-Air, visit Matthew LeHanneur’s Web site .
