Abstract:

As important health care resources, beneficial biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) released by plants not only help enhance human immunity, regulate emotions, and treat chronic diseases, but also play multiple roles in improving atmospheric environmental quality, global ecosystem, and global carbon cycle balance. Therefore, research on BVOCs has important practical values. Traditionally, the selection and allocation of plants in urban gardens and greenspaces are usually determined based on their environmental adaptability, disease and insect resistance, and the ability to purify and beautify the environment, but their chemical ecological effect is seldom taken into account. Moreover, the benefits of BVOCs released by garden plants for the environment and human health are usually ignored. Based on a large body of domestic and foreign literature, this study summarized and described the components of beneficial volatile organic compounds (i.e., olefins, esters, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, organic acids and others), release time dynamics, influencing factors, applications, and controversies on this topic. The study identified the specific types of beneficial volatile organic compounds of different categories released by plants and their corresponding health effects. In addition, most studies on the temporal variation of BVOCs released from plants focused on the entire or various species, but few on beneficial components. Beneficial components of BVOCs have specific temporal variabilities. The number of species or the content of beneficial BVOCs released by coniferous species is greater than that released by broadleaf species. Most plants have different characteristics of beneficial BVOCs, and the release of beneficial BVOCs by plants at different growth stages is dynamic in nature. At present, temperature, light and relative humidity are the main environmental factors affecting the release of beneficial volatile organic compounds from plants. Due to the powerful physiological activity of BVOCs, it is easy for them to react with other compounds in the atmosphere, especially atmospheric pollutants that produce substances harmful for human health or the ecological environment. The study provides a strong theoretical basis for scientific selection and allocation of greening and healthy tree species in Beijing and even northern cities, and for the establishment of an ‘ecological and health-promoting urban green space’. Furthermore, the study informs the selection of appropriate times for doing outdoor health activities that are beneficial for one’s health.

Key words: landscape tree species, beneficial biogenic volatile organic compounds, dynamic change, influencing factors, atmosphere environment quality

摘要：

植物释放的有益挥发性有机物（Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds,BVOCs）作为一类重要医疗保健资源,除能够增强人体免疫力、调节情绪、治疗慢性疾病外,在大气环境质量、地球生态系统及全球碳循环平衡方面均发挥着多重作用,因此具有极高研究价值和应用前景。而在传统城市园林绿地植物选择和配置时,人们往往只注重植物环境适应性、抗病虫害能力、净化和美化环境效果,很少考虑化学生态效应,更忽略了园林植物释放有益的BVOCs对环境质量、人体健康的正面影响。因此,在对国内外大量文献资料进行研究的基础上,文章通过对有益挥发性有机物的组分（烯烃类、酯类、醛类、酮类、醇类、有机酸类和其他类）、释放时间动态性、影响因素和应用与争议等方面进行总结,可知植物释放的不同类别挥发性有机物中有益挥发性有机物的具体种类和各自具有的保健功效;有关植物释放BVOCs时间的研究多以整体或各类别为对象,而针对有益组分较少;各BVOCs有益组分存在时间变动的特异性。针叶树种释放有益挥发性有机物的种类和含量比阔叶树种多;大多数植物的特征有益挥发性有机物存在不同;在不同生长阶段,植物释放有益挥发性有机物存在一定的动态性。温度、光照和相对湿度是影响植物释放的有益挥发性有机物的主要环境因素。由于BVOCs具有较强的生理活性,易与大气中其他化合物尤其是大气污染物发生化学反应,产生危害人体健康和生态环境健康的物质。文章可为城市优良绿化保健树种科学选择配置和创建“生态保健型城市绿地模式”提供强有力的理论依据,对人类选择合适时间进行户外保健活动、提高居民健康水平具有重要意义。

关键词: 景观树种, 有益挥发性有机物, 动态变化, 影响因素, 大气环境质量