Impact of Foliage Plant Interventions in Classrooms on Actual Air Quality and Subjective Health Complaints

Abstract

Children of school age spend a large part of their daily lives not only at home but also at school. The present study surveyed the possible health benefits of indoor plant intervention on the indoor environment for 15 students in 6 classrooms (4 classrooms with indoor plants and 2 classrooms without indoor plants) in 2 newly built elementary schools in Seoul, South Korea. Symptom degree of building-related illness was evaluated as sick school syndrome according to indoor plant placement. An observation of the air temperature of the classrooms for 3 months after indoor plant placement did not find a change in the classroom at School A but detect a decrease in the classroom at School B with or without indoor plants. Formaldehyde concentration in indoor air reduced with time spent in the classrooms at both schools, and was not affected by indoor plant placement. After 3 months, volatile organic compounds showed high concentrations in the classrooms without indoor plants but demonstrated low concentrations in the classrooms with indoor plants only at School B. In the comparison of the symptom score, there was a constant decrease in the classroom with indoor plants but not in the classroom without indoor plants. However, multiple regression analysis showed that the subjective symptom degree of sick school syndrome had little relation to indoor plants.