Technical field

The present invention relates to a system for purifying and humidifying air. More particularly, it relates to a system for purifying and humidifying air, the system comprising at least one plant container and at least one air flow generating assembly.

Background of the invention

The indoor air is often 5-10 times more polluted than outdoor air. The reason is that we are surrounded by things made of chemicals and these chemicals degas into the air. The most common group of degassed chemicals are Very Volatile Organic Compound (WOC), Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) and Semi Volatile Organic Compound (SVOC). This exposure to chemicals is one of the most common exposures to toxic gases humans meet in the everyday life and indoor environment.

The root rmicrobiorme is the dynamic community of microorganisms associated with plant roots. Because they are rich in a variety of carbon compounds, plant roots provide unique environments for a diverse assemblage of soil microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and archaea. The microbial communities inside the root and in the rhizosphere are distinct from each other, and from the microbial communities of bulk soil, although there is some overlap in species composition. Root microbiota affect plant host fitness and productivity in a variety of ways. Members of the root microbiome benefit from plant sugars or other carbon rich molecules. Individual members of the root microbiome may behave differently in association with different plant hosts, or may change the nature of their interaction, and some microorganisms may be more suited for growth in some environments than others.

Summary of the invention

In a first aspect, the invention provides an air purifying and air humidifying system comprising:

- a plant container defining an interior for receiving a plant root zone and at least one indentation, the indentation comprising an inner surface exposed to the interior of the plant container, the inner surface of the indentation defining a plurality of perforations allowing air to pass from the interior to a region outside the plant container, or from the region outside the plant container to the interior; and

- an air flow generating assembly defining an air flow path and comprising a connector part, the connector part being configured to be detachably inserted into the indentation of the plant container, the air flow generating assembly being capable of creating an air flow through the plurality of perforations of the plant container when inserted into the indentation

- a watering system for supplying a water flow to the interior of the plant container.

The air purifying and air humidifying system as above allows for a plant and growth medium to be inserted in the interior of the plant container. The plant may grow all the way from being a seed in the plant container or it may have reached any suitable size before being inserted in the plant container. Thanks to the provision of the plurality of perforations, an air flow may be created through the interior of the plant container containing a plant and possibly a root zone of the plant. Such an air flow is beneficial for removing or chemically altering polluting components in the air flowed through the plurality of perforations, as the microcosmos comprising the plant root zone and surrounding microbiome may effectively metabolise polluting components in the air.

Thanks to the provision of the connector part of the air flow generating assembly being detachably insertable into the indentation of the plant container, the flow generating means are able to create an air flow through the plurality of perforations. By having the flow being detachably insertable into the indentation, the plant container and the air flow generating assembly are detachably connectable. Thereby, the flow generating means and the plant container may each be replaced without affecting the other part. This allows for the plant container to be exchanged irrespective of the air flow generating assembly. Accordingly, if one or more plants and microcosmos' in a plant container are no longer effective, the plant container may readily be exchanged with a plant container comprising plants and microcosmos' being more effective at metabolising pollution in the air.

The plant container may be any suitable container for containing a plant and growth medium, such as, e.g., a plant pot for a single plant or a plurality of plants, or any form of rigid or flexible container being open or closed faced. Each plant container interior may be suitable for receiving a single plant or a plurality of plants.

The air flow generating assembly may be a dedicated air flow generating assembly for the sole use of creating an airflow through the plurality of perforations of the plant container. It may have a single flow generating means, such as, e.g., a single fan, or it may comprise a plurality of fans. The air flow generating assembly may comprise a single connector part or a plurality of connector parts. In case it comprises a plurality of connector parts, it may connect to a plurality of plant containers simultaneously. The air flow generating assembly may form part of a ventilation system of a building. In this case, part of the ventilated air of the building may be guided by the air flow generating assembly through the plurality of perforations of at least one plant container containing a microcosmos comprising a plant root zone and a microbiome for metabolising pollution in the ventilated air.

The root microbiome is the dynamic community of microorganisms associated with plant roots. Together they form a microcosmos. Because they are rich in a variety of carbon compounds, plant roots provide unique environments for a diverse assemblage of soil microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and archaea.

The microbial communities inside the root and in the rhizosphere are distinct from each other, and from the microbial communities of bulk soil, although there is some overlap in species composition. Root microbiota affect plant fitness and productivity in a variety of ways. Members of the root microbiome benefit from plant sugars or other carbon rich molecules. Individual members of the root microbiome may behave differently in association with different plant hosts, or may change the nature of their interaction and some microorganisms may be more suited or optimized for metabolising specific chemicals. For instance, but not limited to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).

Roots are colonized by microorganisms including fungi, bacteria and archaea. Because they are multicellular, fungi can extend hyphae from nutrient exchange organs within host cells into the surrounding rhizosphere and bulk soil. Fungi that extend beyond the root surface and engage in nutrient-carbon exchange with the plant host are commonly considered to be mycorrhizal, but external hyphae can also include other endophytic fungi. Mycorrhizal fungi can extend a great distance into bulk soil, hereby increasing the root system's reach and surface area, enabling mycorrhizal fungi to acquire a large percentage of its host plant's nutrients. In some ecosystems, up to 80% of plant nitrogen and 90% of plant phosphorus is acquired by mycorrhizal fungi. In return, plants may allocate 20-40% of their carbon to mycorrhizae.

Mycorrhizae include a broad variety of root-fungi interactions characterized by mode of colonization. Essentially all plants form mycorrhizal associations, and there is evidence that some mycorrhizae transport carbon and other nutrients not just from soil to plant, but also between different plants in a landscape. The main groups include ectomycorrhizae, arbuscular mycorhizae, ericoid mycorrhizae, orchid mycorrhizae, and monotropoid mycorrhizae. The mycorrhizal-plant relationships are unique because the fungus provides the host with carbon as well as other nutrients, often by parasiting other plants.

Endophytes are bacteria or fungi that live within plant tissue. They may colonize inter-cellular spaces, the root cells themselves, or both. An endophyte is an endosymbiont microorganism that lives within a plant for at least part of its life cycle without causing apparent disease. Endophytes are ubiquitous and have been found in all species of plants studied to date; however, most of the endophyte/plant relationships are not well understood. Some endophytes may enhance host growth, nutrient acquisition and may improve the plant's ability to tolerate abiotic stresses, such as drought, and enhance resistance to insects, plant pathogens and herbivores. As often with other organisms associated with plants such as mycorrhizai fungus, endophytes gain carbon from their association with the plant host.

In embodiments, the system may further comprise an air inlet, and the air flow generating assembly may be arranged for creating an air flow from the air inlet into the plant container via the plurality of perforations. In this case, air may be selectively sucked in from the air inlet. This may be particularly advantageous if the air inlet is arranged in the vicinity of objects known to spread undesired components into the surrounding air.

In embodiments, the system further may comprise an air outlet, and the air flow generating assembly may be arranged for creating an air flow out of the plant container via the plurality of perforations and out of the air outlet. This allows the air having flowed through the interior of the plant container to be guided to a particular desired location. For instance, this may be a location humans are expected to occupy often.

In one embodiment, the air inlet and air outlet may be interchanged by changing the direction of the flow of air through the plurality of perforations. This may be advantageous for optimising the growth conditions for a plant in the interior of the plant container. For instance, air flow from the interior of the plant container and out of the plant container may be beneficial for drying out the soil of the plant if the soil is too moist/heavily watered for optimum growth. Conversely, if the soil is too dry, the flow of air may be arranged to carry moist air into the interior of the plant container.

In another embodiment, the system comprises at least one plant species, and wherein the watering system is adjustable for providing a water flow with an amount of water to the interior of the plant container being larger than an amount of water needed for keeping at least one plant species of the system alive, possibly being three times larger, possibly five times larger or even ten times larger than an amount of water needed for keeping at least one plant species of the system alive, and wherein the air flow generating assembly also is adjustable for generating an air flow adjusting a water flow along the air flow path. Thereby, a humidity of the environment exterior to the plant container may be increased to a level higher than a humidity provided by moist evaporating only from the plant itself.

This may be advantageous for optimising the environmental conditions for persons at an exterior of the plant container. An increased air flow from the interior of the plant container and out of the plant container may be beneficial for increasing humidity of air in the environment exterior to the plant container, if the air in the environment exterior to the plant container is too dry for optimum or desired comfort of persons in the environment.

Adjustment of the watering system may be provided by alternating between allowing and preventing water flow of the watering system at selected intervals.

Alternatively, adjustment of the watering system may be provided by adjusting the water flow generated by the watering system, when the watering system is allowing water flow.

Or adjustment of the watering system may be provided by a combination of alternating between allowing and preventing water flow of the watering system at selected intervals and adjusting the water flow generated by the watering system, when the watering system is allowing water flow.

Conversely, if the environment exterior to the plant container is too humid, the flow of air may be adjusted by increasing an interval between air flow generated or terminated for a period of time, or the flow or air may be adjusted by limiting the air flow during periods of time where air flow is generated, or a combination of the both adjustments, to limit an amount of humidity in the exterior of the plant container.

Adjustment of the air flow generating assembly may be provided by turning the air flow generating assembly on and off at selected intervals. Alternatively, adjustment of the air flow generating assembly may be provided by adjusting the air flow generated by the air flow generating assembly, when the air flow generating assembly is turned on, or adjustment of the air flow generating assembly may be provided by a combination of turning the air flow generating assembly on and off at selected intervals and adjusting the air flow generated by the air flow generating assembly, when the air flow generating assembly is turned on.

In an embodiment of the system according to the invention, adjustment of water flow to the interior of the plant container and adjustment of the water content in the exterior of the plant container is provided by selectively adjusting both the watering system as described above and adjusting the air flow generating assembly based on parameters of both the interior of the plant container, as example an amount of water in the plant container, and parameters of the exterior of the plant container, as example a humidity in the exterior environment. In a possible scenario, when people are not present, the watering system is allowing a relative large water flow and the air flow generating mean is adjusted for allowing a relatively large air flow. During the presence of people, the watering system may be adjusted depending on keeping a water flow with the amount of water large enough to keep the at least one plant species alive, and the air flow generating assembly may be adjusted depending on keeping a limited speed of the air flow generating assembly and/or of the air flow to limit a noise level.

In another possible scenario, during evening/night time, the watering system is allowing a relative large water flow and the air flow generating mean is adjusted for allowing a relatively large air flow. During daytime, the watering system may be adjusted depending on keeping a water flow with the amount of water large enough to keep the at least one plant species alive, and the air flow generating assembly may be adjusted depending on when conditioning of the surroundings is of value.

In embodiments, the air flow generating assembly may comprise at least one fan, the at least one fan being arranged at a location remote from the plant container. The remote location of the fan allows for it to be placed at a convenient location in terms of, e.g., availability of a power supply, or noise emission from the fan.

In embodiments, the inner surface of the indentation may protrude into the interior of the plant container. In this case, the indentation of the plant container creates a protrusion into the interior of the plant container. By having the air flow through the plurality of perforations of the indentation, the air may be guided towards the root zone of a plant inserted into the interior of the plant container, the plant root zone being in the vicinity of the plurality of perforations of the indentation. Further, a plant growing in the interior of the plant container is allowed to grow its roots around the indentation protruding into the interior. By proper placement of the plurality of perforations, this may allow the plurality of perforations to be in the vicinity of a relatively large amount of plant roots and their associated microbiome for more efficient cleaning of the air flowed there through.

In embodiments, the system may further comprise a watering system for supplying water to the interior of the plant container. The watering system allows for providing optimised growth conditions for a plant having its root zone in the interior of the plant container. This is particularly advantageous, as experiments have shown that a microcosmos comprising a plant root zone and a microbiome are most efficient at removing or metabolising undesired components, when the plant has optimum growth conditions. In embodiments, the watering system may define a water flow path in flow communication with the air flow path of the air flow generating assembly. Thereby the interior of the plant container and a plant therein may be supplied with water by humidification of the air flow through the root zone for at least one plant. This allows for a particularly simple and effective way of supplying water to a plant in the interior of the plant container. In one embodiment, the air flow generating assembly and/or watering system may comprise an ultra sonic diffuser. This may allow for more efficient humidification of the air supplied to the interior of the plant container.

In embodiments, the watering system may be configured to supply water to the interior of the plant container via the plurality of perforations. This allows for the supplied water to efficiently reach the region of the interior of the plant container, at which the expected location of the root zone of a plant in the interior of the plant container is.

In embodiments, the watering system may comprise at least two compartments for storing water, the at least two compartments being in flow communication via a water filtering device, and the watering system may be configured to supply water from the compartment storing water having passed through the water filtering device to the interior of the plant container. This allows for a simple way of providing water to the watering system, as well for efficiently filtering the water before it is supplied to the interior of the plant container.

In embodiments, the watering system may comprise a control unit for controlling the watering system and a humidity detector for detecting a water content in the interior of the plant container, and wherein the control unit may be configured to control the water supply to the interior of the plant container on the basis of the detected water content. This allows for supplying an optimal amount of water to the interior of the plant container for optimum growth conditions for the plant and microbiome, which in turn ensures optimised cleaning of the air flowing there through.

In present context, the term 'pollution' is to be understood as exposure to components in the air, that can generate discomfort or health problems in humans or animals e.g. but not excluded to Volatile Organic Compound, Semi Volatile Organic Compound, Nitrogen Oxides, Ozone, Sulphur Dioxide, Mono Oxide.

In present context, the term 'air quality' is to be understood as the condition of the air, being healthy and comfortable for breathing.

In embodiments, the air flow generating assembly may comprise a control unit for controlling the air flow to and/or from the interior of the plant container and at least one air pollution detector for detecting an air pollution level, and wherein the control unit may be configured to control the air flow on the basis of the detected air pollution level. In this case, the air flow assembly is allowed to optimise the air flow to the current pollution level.

In embodiments, the air flow generating assembly may comprise a control unit for controlling the air flow to and/or from the interior of the plant container and at least one water content detector for detecting water content in the interior of the plant container, and the control unit may be configured to control the air flow on the basis of the detected air humidity level. In this case, if the water content detector detects a water content level below a certain water content threshold, it may control the air flow to be below an air flow threshold. This may ensure optimised growth conditions for a plant in the interior of the plant container.

In embodiments, the system may comprise a solar cell for providing electricity to the watering system and/or air flow generating assembly. This allows for a simple and convenient way of providing electricity to the watering system and/or air flow generating assembly.

In embodiments, the air flow generating assembly and/or watering system may comprise a nozzle for distributing water. This may allow water to enter the interior of the plant container and raise the water content inside the container and thereby the ability to humidify the region outside the plant container by controlling the airflow.

In embodiments, the plurality of perforations may be formed in a net made of, e.g., iron, plastic, fabric, the net forming at least part of the indentation.

In embodiments, the indentation may comprise an outer surface defining a plurality of perforations coinciding with the plurality of perforations defined by the inner surface of the indentation, and the outer surface may be readily accessible from a region outside the plant container when the plant container and air flow generating assembly are not connected for ease of access to the plurality of perforations.

In embodiments, the plant container may be or form part of a draining system comprising at least one perforated drain pipe and/or a fascine. This makes the system particularly useful for arranging the plant container at an outdoor location, e.g., in a bed. In this case, the system may be configured to suck in air and clean the air at an outdoor location and thereafter supply the cleaned air to an indoor location for optimised performance of the system. In one embodiment, the plant container may be arranged adjacent to a road and a sidewalk, the flow generating assembly having an inlet relatively close to the road and an outlet relatively close to the sidewalk for providing cleaned air to pedastrians on the sidewalk. In a second aspect, embodiments provide a method for optimising a microcosmos for growth in an environment comprising one or more undesired components, the microcosmos comprising the root zone of at least one plant species in symbiosis with a microbiome, the method comprising the step of:

- adapting the microcosmos through accelerated exposure of the microcosmos to a composition for a period of time, the composition comprising the one or more undesirable components.

In a third aspect, embodiments provide a method for the preparation of a microbiome, which method comprises the step of optimising a microcosmos as detailed in any of the embodiments of the second aspect of the invention, then isolating the microbiome obtained, and providing the obtained microbiome to a system according to any of the embodiments of the first aspect of the invention.

In a fourth aspect, embodiments provide the use of an optimised microcosmos as detailed in any of the embodiments of the second aspect of the invention for metabolising, binding or otherwise chemically altering the one or more undesired components in a system according to any of the embodiments of the first aspect of the invention.

In present context, the term 'accelerated exposure' is to be understood as exposure to amounts and/or concentrations higher than expected in a typical growth environment.

Thanks to the accelerated exposure of the microcosmos to the one or more undesirable components the microcosmos may be optimised for growth of the plant and/or the microorganisms of the microbiome in the presence of the one or more undesirable components. This may happen due to a change in the activity of specific ones of the microorganisms of the microbiome and/or due to a selection among the microorganisms of the microbiome in which suitable microorganisms flourish and unsuitable microorganisms languish. In consequence, the resulting optimised microcosmos and plant may hereby be optimised for growth in an environment comprising the one or more undesired components.

The optimised microcosmos may also, through the accelerated exposure, be optimised for metabolising or otherwise chemically alter the one or more undesired components. This allows the optimised microcosmos, including the optimised microbiome, to more efficiently remove or otherwise diminishes the detrimental effects of the one or more undesired components on the microcosmos and importantly also on organisms, including humans, in the surrounding environment. Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1-8 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 9-11 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 12-18 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention; and Figs. 19-23 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the drawings

Figs. 1-8 illustrate an air purifying and humidifying system 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The system 1 of the first embodiment comprises a plant container 3 defining an interior 5 for receiving a plant root zone 7 and at least one indentation 9. The indentation 9 comprises an inner surface 25 exposed to the interior 5 of the plant container 3, the inner surface 25 of the indentation 9 defining a plurality of perforations 11 allowing air to pass from the interior 5 to a region outside 13 the plant container 3, or from the region outside 13 the plant container 3 to the interior 5. The system 1 further comprises an air flow generating assembly 15, which defines an air flow path 17 and comprises a connector part 19. The connector part 19 is configured to be detachably inserted into the indentation 9 of the plant container 3. In Figs. 2-5, 7 and 8, the connector part 19 is inserted into the indentation 9 of the plant container 3. In this state, the air flow generating assembly 15 is capable of creating an air flow through the plurality of perforations 11 of the plant container 3.

In the first embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-8, the plant container 3 is in the form of a plant pot for receiving a single plant. Also in the first embodiment, the air flow generating assembly 15 is a dedicated air flow generating assembly 15 for the sole use of creating an airflow through the plurality of perforations 11 of the plant container 3. It comprises a single flow generating means 20 in the form of a single fan 21. The first embodiment further comprises an air inlet 23, and the air flow generating assembly 15 is arranged for creating an air flow from the air inlet 23 into the plant container 3 via the plurality of perforations 11. In the first embodiment, the inner surface 25 of the indentation 9 protrudes into the interior 5 of the plant container 3. It also contains a water content detector 6, for detecting water content in the interior 5 of the plant container 3. The embodiment includes a controller 8, controlling the air flow generating assembly 15 and a watering system 2 for constituting a water flow generating means 4. In this case, the indentation 9 of the plant container 3 creates a protrusion into the interior 5 of the plant container 3 for roots of a plant to grow around. The air purifying and air humidifying system 1 as above allows for a plant and growth medium to be inserted in the interior 5 of the plant container 3. The plant may grow all the way from being a seed in the plant container 3 or it may have reached any suitable size before being inserted in the plant container 3. Thanks to the provision of the plurality of perforations 11, an air flow may be created through the interior 5 of the plant container 3 containing a plant and possibly a root zone 7 of the plant. Such an air flow is beneficial for removing or chemically altering undesired components in the air flowing through the plurality of perforations 11, as the microcosmos comprising the plant root zone 7 and surrounding microbiome may efficiently metabolise undesired components in the air.

Thanks to the provision of the connector part 19 of the air flow generating assembly 15 being detachably insertable into the indentation 9 of the plant container 3, the flow generating means 20 are able to create an air flow through the plurality of perforations 11. By having the flow being detachably insertable into the indentation 9, the plant container 3 and the air flow generating assembly 15 are detachably connectable. Thereby, the flow generating means 20 and the plant container 3 may each be replaced without affecting the other part. This allows for the plant container 3 to be exchanged irrespective of the air flow generating assembly 15. Accordingly, if one or more plants and microcosmos' in a plant container 3 are no longer effective, the plant container 3 may readily be exchanged with a plant container 3 comprising plants and microcosmos' being more effective at metabolising undesired components in the air.

The system 1 of the first embodiment the system 1 further comprises a watering system 2 for supplying water by the water flow generating means 4, to the interior 5 of the plant container 3 by a water flow path 27. The watering system 2 allows for providing optimised growth conditions for a plant having its root zone 7 in the interior 5 of the plant container 3. The watering system 2 defines a water flow path 27 in flow communication with the air flow path 17 of the air flow generating assembly 15. Thereby the interior 5 of the plant container 3 and a plant therein may be supplied with water by humidification of the air flow through the root zone 7 for at least one plant. The watering system 2 is configured to supply water to the interior 5 of the plant container 3 via the plurality of perforations 11. This allows for the supplied water to efficiently reach the region of the interior 5 of the plant container 3, wherein the water content detector 6, at which the expected location of the root zone of a plant in the interior 5 of the plant container 3 is.

The watering system 2 of the first embodiment further comprises at least two compartments 29, 31 for storing water, the at least two compartments 29, 31 being in flow communication via a water filtering device 33 as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 8. In this embodiment, the watering system 2 is configured to supply water from the compartment 31 storing water having passed through the water filtering device 33 to the interior 5 of the plant container 3. This allows for a simple way of providing water to the watering system 2, as well for effectively filtering the water before it is supplied by the water flow generating mean 4 to the interior 5 of the plant container 3.

In the first embodiment, the indentation 9 comprises an outer surface 37 defining a plurality of perforations 11 coinciding with the plurality of perforations 11 defined by the inner surface 25 of the indentation 9. In this embodiment the outer surface 37 is readily accessible from a region outside 13 the plant container 3 when the plant container 3 and air flow generating assembly 15 are not connected for ease of access to the plurality of perforations 11.

In Figs. 1 and 6, the plant container 3, air flow generating assembly 15 and watering system 2 are illustrated in a seperated state for ease of visualisation of the individual parts. In Figs. 2-5 and 7-8 the same three parts are illustrated in an assembled state. Figs. 3, 4, 7 and 8 illustrate different cross-sectional views of the first embodiment.

Figs. 9-11 illustrate an air purifying and air humidifying system 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, except for the following differences. In the second embodiment, the dedicated air flow generating assembly 15 having a single fan 21 comprises a plurality of connector parts 19 for connecting to a plurality of plant containers 3 simultaniously. Another difference between the first and second embodiments is that the fan 21 of the second embodiment is arranged at a location remote from the plant container 3. The remote location of the fan 21 allows for it be placed at a convenient location in terms of, e.g., availability of a power supply, or noise emission from the fan 21.

Figs. 12-18 illustrate a system 1 for purifying air according to a third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the system 1 comprises a plurality of plant containers 3 and the air flow generating assembly 15 forms part of a draining system 39 comprising a plurality of perforated drain pipes 41. This makes the system 1 particularly useful for arranging the plant container 3 at an outdoor location, e.g., in a bed 43 with underlying soil 49. In the third embodiment, the plant container 3 is arranged adjacent to a road 45 and a sidewalk 47, the air flow generating assembly 15 having an inlet, in the form of the top open face of the plant container 3, arranged relatively close to the road 45 and an outlet relatively close to the sidewalk 47 for providing cleaned air to pedastrians on the sidewalk 47. In Figs. 14-15 the modular composition of the air purifying and air humidifying system 1 of the third embodiment is illustrated. In Fig. 14 it is illustrated that the individual plant containers 3 may be detachably connected to the drain pipes 41 of the air flow generating assembly 15. Figs. 19-23 illustrate the invention according to a fourth embodiment, where a plant container 3 is transformed into an air purifying and air humidifying system, by attaching the indentation 9, by the connector part 19, and thereby adding an indentation 9, with a plurality of perforations 11, allowing air to pass from the interior 5 to a region outside 13 the plant container 3, or from the region outside 13 the plant container 3 to the interior 5. It also allow the water flow path 27 to supply the interior 5 of the plant container 3. The water flow generating means 4 and the air flow generating assembly 15 are controlled by the controller 8, in relation to data from the water content detector 6 and an air quality detector 30 in the exterior 13 of the plant container 3.