Most studies on the indoor air quality of newly built schools have focused only on the number of schools exceeding a standard or on subjective symptoms, such as sneezing, irritated eyes and an irritated nose. However, there has been no report on how poor indoor air quality affects children's academic performance. This study evaluated the effects of indoor air quality on the neurobehavioral performance of elementary school children.

This study measured the indoor air pollutants and compared children's performance, using a computerized neurobehavioral test, between a newly built and a 12-year-old school. In addition, a questionnaire was administered regarding the indoor air quality related symptoms of children in a newly built and a 12-year-old school.

In the newly built school, the formaldehyde levels in the 1st and 4th classes with an open window were 34.6 and 27.3 microgram/m3, respectively. The levels in the 1st and 4th classes with the window closed were 80.2 and 127.1 microgram/m3, respectively. In the 12-year-old school, the formaldehyde levels in 1st and 4th class with open and closed window were 12.6 and 7.5 microgram/m3, and 19.8 and 25.2 microgram/m3, respectively. With respect to total volatile organic compounds, the levels in the 1st and 4th classes with the window open in the newly built school were 87.2 and 428.2 microgram/m3, respectively. In the 1st and 4th classes with the window closed, the total volatile organic compounds were 1,283.5 and 1,715.4 microgram/m3, respectively. In the 12-year-old school, the total volatile organic compounds were 240.9 and 150.8 microgram/m3, and 371.9 and 448.0 microgram/m3 in the 1st and 4th classes, respectively. In the case of a newly built school, the performance of the students in the neurobehavioral test in the 4th class with the window closed was 8.3% lower than for those in the 1st class with the window closed, but was only 5.9% lower when the windows were open. There was a statistical significant difference in the total numbers of symptoms between the two schools.

These results suggest a proper evaluation of the indoor air quality within schools is required into both the level of contamination and the health effects of these contaminants toward children.