Plants, People, Planet (2026)
Leverhulme Centre researchers in the Health and Wellbeing theme analyzed the chemical “scentscapes” of urban greenspaces to understand how the mix of airborne compounds might influence human health. Air samples were collected from six sites around Oxford, including parks, meadows, woodland and the Botanic Garden, and analysed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The study identified 245 volatile compounds in the air, including plant-emitted biogenic compounds that can promote wellbeing and anthropogenic pollutants linked to urban traffic and other sources.
The results show that greenspaces differ markedly in their chemical profiles. Some locations contained higher levels of plant-derived compounds such as terpenes, which have been linked to relaxation and other health benefits, while others had higher proportions of pollution-related chemicals. The balance between these compounds also varied with environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and rainfall. The findings suggest that analysing the airborne chemistry of greenspaces could provide a new way to identify and design urban environments that better support human health and wellbeing.
