Experts are testing air quality samples taken at a Beijing primary school after some parents of students claimed recently that their children had become ill after exposure to the school's new synthetic playground surface.

Beijing's Xicheng District Education Commission released a statement on Sunday reporting that the China National Environmental Monitoring Center had collected air samples at Beijing No 2 Experimental Primary School's Baiyunlu Campus on Saturday.

Ding Dawei, director of the commission that was in charge of the school's construction, said: "Our priority is the children's health. If the investigation concludes that the playground materials contain toxic chemicals that resulted in health issues, we will track down those responsible."