A breath of fresh air - 10 houseplants for improving indoor air quality
Remember learning in your biology class that plants produce oxygen? Did you also know that certain indoor potted plant systems are very capable of removing harmful indoor contaminants such as benzene, formaldehyde (a known carcinogen), trichloroethylene (TCE) and carbon monoxide in addition to carbon dioxide from the air? Various building materials (especially particleboard and spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation products), some types of furniture, new carpets and fabrics, paints as well as household cleaners may contain various hazardous volatile organic chemicals (VOC) that can be released into the air inside our homes. Once released these VOC's get trapped and are recirculated by closed ventilation systems which can, in turn, can lead to a host of health problems such as respiratory and allergic reactions, sensitivity to chemicals, and "Sick Building Syndrome". This link, 10 houseplants for improving indoor air quality, connects to a Treehugger website article updated in November 2021 that references way back to the collaborative NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) research project led by Dr. B. C. Wolverton in 1989.
Comment: So if you want to provide both decorative and effective air scrubbing benefits inside your home, replace your artificial, dust gathering, plastic or silk plants with real, live, indoor potted house plants. This article, by Julie Knapp, will show you pictures and give details on ten of the most effective, easy to find and care for plants that will give your home fresh, plant filtered air. (Note: Dr. Wolverton observed that keeping the plant root/soil zone area uncovered, e.g. removing lower leaves, appeared to be even more effective at removing air contaminants. He also found covering each of the potted plant soil surfaces with 2-3 centimeters (approximately 1") of washed pea gravel helped deter the growth of undesirable soil surface molds/fungi).
For a more exhaustive list you may also want to check in your local library or online for Dr. B. C. Wolverton's book, How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 houseplants that purify your home or offices.
Take a look at this short 2016 YouTube video on the topic of improving indoor air quality with houseplants.
Indoor air pollution in your home or office can cause health issues like dizziness, asthma or allergies. The most common solution is to install ventilation systems. But researchers may have found a cheaper, simpler option to remove indoor air pollutants: houseplants. Video produced by Research Square https://www.researchsquare.com/
Another link to the American Chemical Society is found here: