Indoor plant effects on aerosol behaviour and exposure in residential environments

About the Project

Applications are invited for a 4 year PhD studentship starting in Autumn 2026 as part of the EPSRC CDT in Aerosol Science

Project description

Indoor air pollution is a major environmental health concern, particularly in homes where people spend most of their time. Everyday activities such as cooking, smoking, incense burning, and cleaning generate high levels of fine and ultrafine particles that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and contribute to significant health risks. Although ventilation and filtration have been widely explored, the potential for indoor plants to influence aerosol behaviour and human exposure remains poorly understood. Scientific evidence is limited, fragmented, and often disconnected from real-life household environments.

This PhD project aims to move beyond viewing houseplants as decorative elements by examining their active and measurable effects on indoor aerosol dynamics. Bringing together aerosol science, indoor environmental engineering, plant science, low-cost sensing, and computational modelling, the research will investigate how plants modify particle concentrations, deposition processes, and microclimatic conditions in typical residential spaces. Through a combination of controlled laboratory studies, real-world household monitoring, and advanced simulations, the project will develop an integrated understanding of when and how plants can meaningfully reduce exposure to airborne particulate pollution.

The project will be conducted in collaboration with GCARE at the University of Surrey, the University of Birmingham, RHS Wisley, and community partners, including Zero Carbon Guildford. These partnerships provide environmental chambers, high-quality instrumentation, horticultural expertise, and access to lived-in homes for field studies. Laboratory experiments will quantify plant-specific mechanisms, including deposition, impaction, diffusion, and humidity-driven effects, while household measurements using reference instruments and low-cost sensor networks will capture particle dynamics under real-world daily activities.

By integrating empirical data with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling, the project will evaluate different plant species, configurations, and room layouts to identify effective strategies for exposure reduction. The outcomes will inform practical, low-cost, nature-based interventions that households and community groups can adopt to improve indoor air quality and wellbeing.

Professor Prashant Kumar would be pleased to discuss this research project further with interested candidates.

About the Centre for Doctoral training in Aerosol Science

Aerosol science is crucial to disciplines as broad ranging as transmission of disease, drug delivery to the lungs, climate change, energy and combustion science, novel materials, and consumer and agricultural products.

An aerosol is any collection of particles dispersed in a gas. The CDT brings together a multi-disciplinary team of 80 post-graduate students and academics from 8 UK universities spanning the physical, environmental and health sciences, and engineering. Our aim is to tackle the global challenges in which aerosol science is key.

Further details are available from our website: https://www.aerosol-cdt.ac.uk/

Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science

During your doctorate, you will learn to research in diverse multidisciplinary teams, gain an advanced understanding of the core physical science of aerosols, and collaborate with industrial and public sector partners, equipping you to undertake ground-breaking research in aerosol science.

During the first 7 months of your PhD, you will join the CDT cohort based at the University of Bristol. Core training in aerosol science, research methods, professionalism and translation will be delivered by Team Based Learning. You will then undertake a short research project at your home or partner institution before starting your PhD research. You will gain experience outside academia in a placement with an industrial/public sector partner in Year 2 or 3.

More Information and How to Apply

Candidates who aspire to work in a multidisciplinary field, and hold or will achieve a minimum of an upper second-class undergraduate degree in any of these areas are encouraged to apply: chemistry, physics, biological sciences, life and medical sciences, mathematics and computer science, chemical and mechanical engineering, pharmaceutical and environmental sciences.

Visit our website: https://www.aerosol-cdt.ac.uk/ Contact us: aerosol-science@bristol.ac.uk

Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to furthering issues of equality, diversity and inclusion. We recognise the benefits of recruiting a diverse group of students to the Aerosol CDT and strive to avoid any conscious or unconscious bias in our recruitment. The needs of individuals will be accommodated during the recruitment process and while studying with the CDT. Further information on our commitment to equality and diversity can be found on our website.

Funding Notes

This project is funded as part of the EPSRC CDT in Aerosol Science. Successful candidates meeting the funding criteria will receive a studentship covering tuition fees, research and training support grant, plus a stipend to cover your living expenses while you train, paid at the standard UKRI rate.

References

1. Kaur, S., Mishra, S. K., Goel, V., Kumar, M., Singh, R., Devi, M., Chandra, H., Narayanasamy, V., Singh, S. P., Sharma, P., & Kumar, P. 2025. Impact of indoor plant-induced relative humidity on PM concentration in indoor urban environment. Atmospheric Pollution Research 16, 102468.
2. Bandehali, S., Miri, T., Onyeaka, H., Kumar, P., 2021. Current state of indoor air phytoremediation using potted plants and green walls. Atmosphere 12, 473.
3. Gubb, C., Blanusa, T., Griffiths, A., Pfrang, C., 2018. Can houseplants improve indoor air quality by removing CO2 and increasing relative humidity?.