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In indoor environments, cooking is a major contributor to indoor air pollution releasing potentially harmful toxic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In our study, Chlorophytum comosum 'Variegata' plants were applied to monitor PAH emission rates and patterns in previously selected rural Hungarian kitchens. Concentration and profile of accumulated PAHs could be well explained by cooking methods and materials used in each kitchen. Accumulation of 6-ring PAHs was characteristic in the only kitchen which frequently used deep frying. It also should be emphasized that applicability of C. comosum as indoor biomonitor was assessed. The plant has proven a good monitor organism as it accumulated both LMW and HMW PAHs., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Gaseous formaldehyde removal efficiency and physiological characteristics of leaves were investigated through a dynamic fumigation system. Three different species of potted Chlorophytum Comosum, (Green Chlorophytum Comosum for its green leaves), CC (Combined the leaves of Chlorophytum Comosum with leaves half green and half white) and PC (Purple Chlorophytum Comosum for its purple leaves), were exposed to formaldehyde for 7 days. The results showed formaldehyde removal efficiencies in the daytime were 71.07% ± 0.23, 84.66% ± 0.19, and 46.73% ± 0.15 at 1 ppm for GC, CC, and GC plants, respectively, and were 36.21% ± 0.24, 62.15% ± 0.19, and 34.97% ± 0.11 at night. This might be due to higher plant physiological activities (e.g., photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration) during the daytime than at night. Ten physiological indicators of leaves were chosen to evaluate the 7-day fumigation process, which were chlorophyll, free protein, relative conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), hydroxyl radical, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). Eight of these indicators increased, while chlorophyll decreased by 22.16%, 6.95%, and 25.32%, and CAT decreased by 18.9%, 17.8%, and 25.30% for GC, CC, and PC respectively. Among all the increasing physiological indicators, relative conductivity and MDA showed the greatest increase by 279.32% and 155.56% for PC. A 15-day recovery study was also conducted using MDA and T-AOC as indicators. The results showed that all the tested plants could be tolerant up to the 8 ppm of formaldehyde concentration for 7 days under dynamic fumigation and needed 10-15 days for self-recovery.

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation, antioxidant activity (AOA), chlorophyll fluorescence (F) and organic acid distribution in Chlorophytum comosum and Callisia fragrans plants exposed to artificially added Cd (40, 160 and 320 mg kg -1 ) were examined in pot experiment. At the highest Cd concentration, C. comosum accumulated in roots and the aboveground parts up to 1331 and 1054 mg Cd kg -1 DW, and C. fragrans up to 1427 and 1263 mg Cd kg -1 DW, respectively, which are quite near at the level of hyperaccumulator. Cd accumulation in both plant species increased significantly with the increment of soil Cd dosage, and the distribution was roots > shoots > stolons. Values of BC showed rising trend indicating an accumulation potential of both species. The root AOA was positively correlated to Cd addition, especially in C. comosum. Higher values of free SA were found in roots with a significant enhancement at concentrations of 40 and 160 mg kg -1 Cd. It was observed that citric acid significantly reacted in both species, while fumaric acid only in C. comosum in response to Cd which may contribute to Cd chelation. Our data indicate that both species are suitable for phytoextraction of Cd from contaminated soils which increases their value as ornamentals.

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of phosphate fertilization on chemical speciation of cadmium (Cd) in the rhizospheric soil of Chlorophytum comosum, a potential cadmium hyperaccumulator. The results revealed that when 200 mg kg -1 phosphate was applied into the soil, the Cd contents in the exchangeable fraction (EXC), carbonate-binding fraction (CA), and Fe-Mn oxides-binding fraction (Fe-Mn) were the highest, and the Cd content in the residual fraction (RES) was the lowest. Phosphate fertilization could enhance Cd conversion from RES into CA and weak RES, thereby improving the bioavailability of Cd and enhancing Cd enrichment and adsorption by C. comosum. The total Cd content in the soil was reduced by 10.15 mg kg -1 in the planted group, which was significantly different from the control group (p < 0.01). The highest bioaccumulation coefficient (BC) values in root and aboveground parts appeared when the phosphate rates were 276 and 217 mg kg -1 , whereas the highest translocation factor (TF) occurred with a phosphate rate of 188 mg kg -1 . Phosphate fertilization facilitated phytoremediation of Cd-polluted soil by C. comosum.