Impact of Air Pollutants on Lung Function and Inflammatory Response in Asthma in Shanghai

Objective Air pollution is a leading public health issue.This study investigated the effect of air quality and pollutants on pulmonary function and inflammation in patients with asthma in Shanghai.Methods The study monitored 27 asthma outpatients for a year,collecting data on weather,patient self-management[daily asthma diary,peak expiratory flow(PEF)monitoring,medication usage],spirometry and serum markers.To explore the potential mechanisms of any effects,asthmatic mice induced by ovalbumin(OVA)were exposed to PM_(2.5).Results Statistical and correlational analyses revealed that air pollutants have both acute and chronic effects on asthma.Acute exposure showed a correlation between PEF and levels of ozone(O_(3))and nitrogen dioxide(NO_(2)).Chronic exposure indicated that interleukin-5(IL-5)and interleukin-13(IL-13)levels correlated with PM_(2.5)and PM_(10)concentrations.In asthmatic mouse models,exposure to PM_(2.5)increased cytokine levels and worsened lung function.Additionally,PM_(2.5)exposure inhibited cell proliferation by blocking the NF-κB and ERK phosphorylation pathways.Conclusion Ambient air pollutants exacerbate asthma by worsening lung function and enhancing Th2-mediated inflammation.Specifically,PM_(2.5)significantly contributes to these adverse effects.Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which PM_(2.5)impacts asthma.

Investigating the Changes in Air Pollutant Emissions over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in February from 2014 to 2019 through an Inverse Emission Method

In recent years,China has implemented several measures to improve air quality.The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei(BTH)region is one area that has suffered from the most serious air pollution in China and has undergone huge changes in air quality in the past few years.How to scientifically assess these change processes remain the key issue in further improving the air quality over this region in the future.To evaluate the changes in major air pollutant emissions over this region,this paper employs ensemble Kalman filtering(EnKF)for integrating the national ground monitoring pollutant observation data and the Nested Air Quality Prediction Modeling System(NAQPMS)simulation data to inversely estimate the emission rates of SO_(2),NOX,CO,and primary PM_(2.5)over BTH region in February from 2014 to 2019.The results show that SO_(2),NOX,CO,and primary PM_(2.5)emissions in the BTH region decreased in February from 2014 to 2019 by 83%,37%,41%,and 42%,while decreases in Beijing during this period were 86%,67%,59%,and 65%,respectively.Compared with the prior emission inventory,the inversion emission inventory reduces the uncertainty of multi-pollutant simulation in the BTH region,with simulated root mean square errors of the monthly average concentrations of SO_(2),NOX,PM_(2.5),and CO reduced by 41%,30%,31%,and 22%,respectively.The average uncertainties of SO_(2),NOX,PM_(2.5),and CO inversion emissions in2014-19 are±14.03%yr^(-1),±28.91%yr^(-1),±126.15%yr^(-1),and±43.58%yr^(-1).Compared with the uncertainty of MEIC emission,the uncertainties of all species changed by+2%yr^(-1),-2%yr^(-1),-26%yr^(-1),and-4%yr^(-1),respectively.The spatial distribution results illustrate that air pollutant emissions are mainly distributed over the eastern and southern BTH regions.The spatial gap between the inversion emissions and MEIC emissions was further closed in 2019 compared to 2014.The results of this paper can provide a new reference for assessing changes in air pollution emissions over the BTH region in recent years and validating a bottom-up emission inventory.

Molecular mechanisms and cellular process in signal transduction pathway related to air pollutants in obstructive lung diseases:A mini-review

Exposure to air pollutants such as PM_(10),PM_(2.5),PM_(0.1),O_(3),CO,NO2,and SO_(2),and biological pollutants are important factors causing the evolution and furtherance of obstructive lung diseases(OLD),including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Asthma is the most frequent chronic inflammatory airway disease,characterized by breathlessness,wheezing,chest tightness,and cough,together with the presence of exaggerated expiratory airflow fluctuation that varies over time.COPD is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea,cough,expectoration,and/or exacerbations due to abnormalities of the airways and/or alveoli that cause persistent,often progressive,airflow obstruction.Understanding the molecular mechanisms and cellular processes based on the development of OLD on exposure to air pollutants will provide insights into the solution of pathogenesis,prevention,and treatment of these conditions.The molecular mechanisms and cellular process involved in signal transduction pathway plays a role in the binding of extracellular signaling molecules and ligands to receptors placed on the cell surface or on the inner side cell that trigger inflammation that occurs,especially when something important enters the cell to bring into a cascade response.This binding then alters the cell metabolism,shape,and gene expression in the airway.This review aimed to reveal the effect of air pollutants on the molecular mechanisms and cellular processes involved in the signal transduction pathways in OLD.

Near-Zero Air Pollutant Emission Technologies and Applications for Clean Coal-Fired Power

Coal is the dominant energy source in China,and coal-fired power accounts for about half of coal consumption.However,air pollutant emissions from coal-fired power plants cause severe ecological and environmental problems.This paper focuses on near-zero emission technologies and applications for clean coal-fired power.The long-term operation states of near-zero emission units were evaluated,and synergistic and special mercury(Hg)control technologies were researched.The results show that the principle technical route of near-zero emission,which was applied to 101 of China’s coal-fired units,has good adaptability to coal properties.The emission concentrations of particulate matter(PM),SO2,and NOx were below the emission limits of gas-fired power plants and the compliance rates of the hourly average emission concentrations reaching near-zero emission in long-term operation exceeded 99%.With the application of near-zero emission technologies,the generating costs increased by about 0.01 CNY∙(kW∙h)-1.However,the total emissions of air pollutants decreased by about 90%,resulting in effective improvement of the ambient air quality.Furthermore,while the Hg emission concentrations of the near-zero emission units ranged from 0.51 to 2.89μg∙m^-3,after the modified fly ash(MFA)special Hg removal system was applied,Hg emission concentration reached as low as 0.29μg∙m^-3.The operating cost of this system was only 10%-15%of the cost of mainstream Hg removal technology using activated carbon injection.Based on experimental studies carried out in a 50000 m^3∙h^-1 coal-fired flue gas pollutant control pilot platform,the interaction relationships of multi-pollutant removal were obtained and solutions were developed for emissions reaching different limits.A combined demonstration application for clean coal-fired power,with the new“1123”eco-friendly emission limits of 1,10,20 mg∙m^-3,and 3μg∙m^-3,respectively,for PM,SO2,NOx,and Hg from near-zero emission coal-fired power were put forward and realized,providing engineering and technical support for the national enhanced pollution emission standards.

A Microscale Model for Air Pollutant Dispersion Simulation in Urban Areas： Presentation of the Model and Performance over a Single Building

A microscale air pollutant dispersion model system is developed for emergency response purposes. The model includes a diagnostic wind field model to simulate the wind field and a random-walk air pollutant dispersion model to simulate the pollutant concentration through consideration of the influence of urban buildings. Numerical experiments are designed to evaluate the model＇s performance, using CEDVAL （Compilation of Experimental Data for Validation of Microscale Disper- sion Models） wind tunnel experiment data, including wind fields and air pollutant dispersion around a single building. The results show that the wind model can reproduce the vortexes triggered by urban buildings and the dispersion model simulates the pollutant concentration around buildings well. Typically, the simulation errors come from the determination of the key zones around a building or building cluster. This model has the potential for multiple applications; for example, the prediction of air pollutant dispersion and the evaluation of environmental impacts in emergency situations; urban planning scenarios; and the assessment of microscale air quality in urban areas.

Changes in air pollutants during the COVID-19 lockdown in Beijing:Insights from a machine-learning technique and implications for future control policy

The COVID-19 lockdowns led to abrupt reductions in human-related emissions worldwide and had an unintended impact on air quality improvement.However,quantifying this impact is difficult as meteorological conditions may mask the real effect of changes in emissions on the observed concentrations of pollutants.Based on the air quality and meteorological data at 35 sites in Beijing from 2015 to 2020,a machine learning technique was applied to decouple the impacts of meteorology and emissions on the concentrations of air pollutants.The results showed that the real(“deweathered”)concentrations of air pollutants(expect for O 3)dropped significantly due to lockdown measures.Compared with the scenario without lockdowns(predicted concentrations),the observed values of PM_(2.5),PM_(10),SO_(2),NO_(2),and CO during lockdowns decreased by 39.4%,50.1%,51.8%,43.1%,and 35.1%,respectively.In addition,a significant decline for NO_(2)and CO was found at the background sites(51%and 37.8%)rather than the traffic sites(37.1%and 35.5%),which is different from the common belief.While the primary emissions reduced during the lockdown period,episodic haze events still occurred due to unfavorable meteorological conditions.Thus,developing an optimized strategy to tackle air pollution in Beijing is essential in the future.

Air pollutants and greenhouse gases emission inventory for power plants in the Antarctic

Emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in Antarctica from power plants with diesel generators(the main sources of energy at Antarctic research stations and the main stationary sources of anthropogenic emissions in the Antarctic)were assessed.A bottom-up approach was used to compile an emission inventory for the Antarctic.This involved estimating emissions at various spatial levels by sequentially aggregating estimate emissions from point emission sources.This is the first time this approach has been proposed and used.Emissions of CO2,NOx,particulate matter(PM10),and CO in the modern period were estimated at the research station,geographic region,natural domain,biogeographic region,continent section,and whole continent scales.Yearly emissions are presented here,but the approach allows emissions at different averaging periods to be estimated.This means mean or maximum yearly,monthly,daily,or hourly emissions can be estimated.The estimates could be used to model pollutant transmission and dispersion,assess the impacts of pollutants,and develop emission forecasts for various scenarios.

Ionic Liquid Assisted Extraction of Nitrogen and Sulphur-Containing Air Pollutants from Model Oil and Regeneration of the Spent Ionic Liquid

Removal of air pollutants, such as nitrogen and sulphur containing compounds from a model oil (dodecane) was studied. An ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C2mim] [Cl]) was used as an extractant. Liquid-liquid extraction by using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C2mim] [Cl] was found to be a very promising method for the removal of N- and S-compounds. This was evaluated by using a model oil (dodecane) with indole as a neutral nitrogen compound and pyridine as a basic nitrogen compound. Dibenzothiophene (DBT) was used as a sulphur compound. An extraction capacity of up to 90 wt% was achieved for the model oil containing pyridine, while only 76 wt% of indole in the oil was extracted. The extraction capacity of a model sulphur compound DBT was found to be up to 99 wt%. Regeneration of the spent ionic liquid was carried out with toluene back-extraction. A 1:1 toluene-to-IL wt ratio was performed at room temperature. It was observed that, for the spent ionic liquid containing DBT as a model compound more than 85 wt% (corresponding 3852 mg/kg) could be removed from the oil. After the second regeneration cycle, 86 wt% of the DBT was recovered from the ionic liquid to toluene. In the case of indole as the nitrogen containing species, more than 99 wt%, (corresponding to 2993 mg/kg) of the original indole was transferred from the model oil to the ionic liquid. After the first-regeneration cycle of the spent ionic liquid, 54 wt% of the indole–in-IL was transferred to toluene. Thus, both extractions of nitrogen and sulphur model compounds were successfully carried out from model oil and the back-extraction of these compounds from the ionic liquids to toluene demonstrated the proved the concept of the regeneration point of view.

GIS-based Analysis of Main Air Pollutants of Changchun City in Summer

To gain a better understanding of the characteristics of air pollution of Changchun city, P. R. China, in summer, the analytical methods of geographical information system（GIS） and statistical analysis software SPSS were applied to the analysis of the monitored concentrations of SO2 , NO2, and O3 in July of 2002 to 2004 in Changchun city. The results obtained show that the average hourly O3 concentrations in July 2002 and 2004 were higher than the firstlevel hourly standard of China. At the same time, the dynamic distribution of the 03 concentration and the relationship between the concentration of 03 and that of NOx were studied. The air quality evaluation result of Changchun city indicates that the southwest of this city was heavily polluted during the monitored period.

Study on Air Pollutant Concentration inside Railway Tunnels

This paper presents a one-dimensional unsteady flow model and a numerical procedure based on the model. Comparisons between the theory and full scale experiments in a railway tunnel show that the model is capable of produce precise predictions for piston wind and pollutant concentration in railway tunnels.

Analysis on the Variation of Urban Heat Island Intensity and Its Relationships with Air Pollutants in Kunming,China

[ Objective] The research aimed to study variation of the urban heat island （UHI） intensity and its relationships with air pollutants in Kunming. [ Method] Observation data of the air temperature series from Kunming station and surrounding Taihuashan meteorological station were used to investigate the variation characteristics of UHI intensity in Kunming during 2001 -2010. Meanwhile, relationship between UHI intensity and air quality on the basis of concentration data for primary air pollutants （SO2, NO2 and PMlo ） from environmental monitoring station of Kunming was studied in this paper. [Result] Annual mean UHI intensity increased at the rate of 0.110 ℃/10 a, and UHI intensity was higher in dry season than that in rainy season. The change trend of air pollutants level in Kunming was in accordance with that of the UHI intensity. When UHI intensity reached peak value, air pollutants showed high concentration. UHI intensity had significantly positive correlation with air pollutants level. Annual mean UHI intensity had significantly positive correlation with PMlo level under the likelihood of 95%, but monthly mean UHI intensity had significantly positive correlation with NO2 level under the likelihood of 99%. In addition, annual statistics days with Grade I air quality obviously decreased with the strengthenment of UHI intensity. Therefore, air quality in Kunming City tumed more deteriorated with the enhancement of UHI intensity. [ Conclusion] The research findings provided a valid scientific basis for the mitigation of UHI and improvement of the atmospheric environment in Kunming.

Study on the Environmental Quality Guarantee Ratio on the Basis of Total Air Pollutant Emission Amount Control

The hourly and daily air quality concentration in the total air pollutant emission amount control zone is not sure to be continuously up to national ambient air quality standard, even though the total annual air pollutant emission is permitted under the total air pollutant emission amount control (TAPEAC) on the basis of A-value method. So the concept of the environmental quality guarantee ratio (EQGR) for TAPEAC is advanced in this paper and its quantitative formula is figured out for both hourly and daily EQGR. It is concluded that the EQGR is related with the yearly arrangement of A-value besides the pollutant type. According to the meteorological data in a lower area along Yangtze River in 2000, the yearly A-value trend is analyzed. Based on the data, the hourly EQGR of SO 2 and NO 2 is respectively 97.4% and 90.2%, and daily EQGR respectively 90.2% and 79.5%.

Study on Air Quality and Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Air Pollutants in Sichuan Province from 2017 to 2021

Atmosphere is the basic environmental element on which human beings depend for survival and development,and its environmental quality is directly related to sustainable socio-economic development.China is currently in a period of accelerated urbanization,accompanied by industrialization and urbanization bringing environmental pollution problems more and more prominent.Therefore,it is particularly important to strengthen the management of atmospheric quality and improve the level of atmospheric environment.To this end,the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of AQI and six types of air pollutants in eight prefecture-level cities were analysed and studied using the month-by-month air quality monitoring data of Sichuan Province from 2017 to 2021.The results show that:(1)according to the Ambient Air Quality Standards,Chengdu,Mianyang,Zigong,Luzhou and Deyang do not meet the concentration limits of PM_(2.5),Zigong and Suining do not meet the concentration limits of PM_(10),Chengdu does not meet the concentration limits of NO_(2),and all eight cities meet the concentration limits of NO_(2)and SO_(2).(2)The seasonal concentration changes of PM_(2.5),PM_(10)and NO_(2)have the same characteristics,showing that they are winter>spring>autumn>summer.The seasonal concentration changes of CO are winter>autumn>spring>summer;the seasonal concentration changes of SO_(2)are winter>spring>summer>autumn;the seasonal concentration changes of O_(3)are summer>spring>autumn>winter.

Temperature Inversions,Meteorological Variables and Air Pollutants and Their Influence on Acute Respiratory Disease in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Zone,Jalisco,Mexico

The presence of temperature inversions (TI), concentration of air pollutants (AP) and meteorological variables (MV) affect the welfare of the population, creating public health problems (acute respiratory diseases ARDs, among others). The Guadalajara Metropolitan Zone (GMZ) experiences high levels of air pollution, which associated with the presence of temperature inversions and meteorological variations is conducive to the incidence of ARDs in children. The aim of this work is to evaluate the TI, MV, AP and their influence on the ARDs in children under five years in the GMZ from 2003 to 2007. In this period, the moderate and strong TI are the most frequent presenting from November to May. The AP shows a variable behavior during the year and between years, with the highest concentration of particles less than 10 microns (PM10), followed by ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), the most affected areas are the southeast of the GMZ. Annual arithmetic mean is 213,510 ± 41,209 ARDs consultations. The most important diseases are acute respiratory infections (98.0%), followed by pneumonia and bronchopneumonia (1.1%), asthma and status asthmaticus (0.5%) and streptococcal pharyngitis and tonsillitis (0.4%). Months with most inquiries were from October to March, mainly in the southeast, south and center of the city, coinciding with high levels of AP. Statistical analysis shows that the TI have significant correlation with ARDs in three years, temperature (Temp) in two, relative humidity (RH) in two, wind speed (WS) in three, wind direction (WD) in two, while that air pollutants NOX and NO2 showed significant correlation with ARDs throughout the period. CO and SO2 showed significance in two years, while the PM10 and O3 in one.

Statistical Distributions of Ambient Air Pollutants in Shanghai, China

Objective To determine the best statistical distribution of concentration data of major air pollutants in Shanghai. Methods Four types of theoretic distributions (lognormal, gamma, Pearson V and extreme value) were chosen to fit daily average concentration data of PM10, SO2 and NO2 from June 1, 2000 to May 31, 2003 in Shanghai by using the maximum likelihood method. The fit results were evaluated by Chi-square test. Results The best-fit distributions for PM10,SO2 and NO2 concentrations in Shanghai were lognormal, Pearson V, and extreme value distributions, respectively. Conclusion The results can be further applied to local air pollution prediction and control, e.g., the probabilities exceeding the air quality standard and emission source reduction of air pollutant concentration to meet the standard.

Relationship of meteorological factors and air pollutants with medical care utilization for gastroesophageal reflux disease in urban area

BACKGROUND Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)is a highly prevalent disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract,and it is associated with environmental and lifestyle habits.Due to an increasing interest in the environment,several groups are studying the effects of meteorological factors and air pollutants(MFAPs)on disease development.AIM To identify MFAPs effect on GERD-related medical utilization.METHODS Data on GERD-related medical utilization from 2002 to 2017 were obtained from the National Health Insurance Service of Korea,while those on MFAPs were obtained from eight metropolitan areas and merged.In total,20071900 instances of GERD-related medical utilizations were identified,and 200000 MFAPs were randomly selected from the eight metropolitan areas.Data were analyzed using a multivariable generalized additive Poisson regression model to control for time trends,seasonality,and day of the week.RESULTS Five MFAPs were selected for the prediction model.GERD-related medical utilization increased with the levels of particulate matter with a diameter≤2.5μm(PM2.5)and carbon monoxide(CO).S-shaped and inverted U-shaped changes were observed in average temperature and air pollutants,respectively.The time lag of each variable was significant around nine days after exposure.CONCLUSION Using five MFAPs,the final model significantly predicted GERD-related medical utilization.In particular,PM2.5 and CO were identified as risk or aggravating factors for GERD.

Temporal Changes in Transboundary Air Pollutants in Bottom Sediments of Lakes in East Asia

To clarify temporal changes in the transboundary pollution, we analyzed SCPs （spheroidal carbonaceous particles） in bottom sediments of lakes in China, South Korea and Japan. SCPs provide an unambiguous record of anthropogenic atmospheric pollution in bottom sediments. Recently deposited SCPs in air and unmelted snow on Mt. Fuji were also characterized. The concentrarion and characteristics of SCPs reflected the environmental and industrial history of the area. Evidence of transboundary air pollution was observed after the 1980s in Yashagaike and Kotaniike ponds in Japan, which are located on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The concentration suggests that the pollutants originated from continental Asia, particularly after the 1980s. The chemical composition of the SCPs allowed the source of emissions to be identified. Chinese SCPs were found at Yashagaike and Kotaniike ponds in Japan, and at Songiiho and Urimji lakes in Korea. The size distributions showed that small SCPs are transported over long distances. On the summit of Mr. Fuji, SCPs transported by the prevailing westerlies from China were found in addition to SCPs emitted in Japan.

Tracking Source Variations of Inhalation Cancer Risks and Ozone Formation Potential in Hong Kong over Two Decades(2000−2020)Using Toxic Air Pollutant Monitoring Data

Toxic air pollutants(TAPs)are a class of airborne chemicals known or suspected to cause serious health issues.This study,applying positive matrix factorization and inhalation unit risk estimates of TAPs,quantifies the changes in significant sources contributing to inhalation cancer risks(ICRs)from 2000 to 2020 in Hong Kong,China.Total ICR decreased from 1701 to 451 cases per million between 2000−2004 and 2016−2020,largely attributed to the reduction in diesel particulate matter(DPM),gasoline and solvent use-related volatile organic compounds(VOCs),and coal/biomass combustion-related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metal(loid)s.The regional contribution of VOCs associated with industrial and halogenated solvent sources increased substantially,representing the largest non-DPM ICR contributor(37%)in 2016−2020,stressing the need for a more comprehensive risk evaluation across the fast-growing and densely populated Greater Bay Area(GBA).ICRs in Hong Kong and the GBA will likely remain over 100 cases per million by 2050.The contributions to ozone formation potential of VOC/carbonyl sources were quantified,which show a notable shift from being solvent/gasoline-dominant in 2000−2004 to being more evenly shared by various sources in 2016−2020.Establishing a similar TAP monitoring network in the GBA is anticipated to provide the monitoring data needed to facilitate the development of more informed air quality management strategies.

Determination of Air Pollutant Concentrations in Plant Species in Relation to Pollution Sources

Air quality has been a major health issue in urban areas in recent decades. Human activities release a large number of pollutants into the atmosphere which has a direct impact on plant health and leads to ecosystem degradation. The objective of this study is to contribute to a better evaluation of the impact of the air quality of the city of Togo on biological resources. The determination of pollutants was done on samples of plant species with a strong link with the source of pollution. The determination of Sulfur dioxide (SO2) was done by the ripper method. The determination of carbon and estimation of CO2 and CO by the colorimetric method. The determination of nitrogen was done by the Kjeldhal method. The results showed that at the industrial level the amount of CO2 in Alternanthera repens is high with a value of 53.3911 mg/ml. On the other hand, the quantity of CO in Senna occidentalis is 44.3619 mg/ml. In Pithecellobium dulce, the quantity of SO2 and NO2 are evaluated respectively to 0.1588 mg/ml and 0.3696 mg/ml. Regarding to the dumps, the quantity of CO2 in Newbouldia laevis is very high with a value of 65.8508 mg/ml. On the other hand the amount of CO in Senna occidentalis is 51.6106 mg/ml. The quantity of SO2 in Newbouldia laevis is 0.2101 mg/ml and NO2 in Ocimum canum is 0.2744 mg/ml. At the level of roads, the quantities of CO2 and CO in Eragrostis tenella are very high with values respectively equal to 74.4092 mg/ml and 62.2654 mg/ml. On the other hand, the amount of NO2 in Amaranthus sp is 0.2304 mg/ml and that of SO2 in Eragrostis Tenella is 0.1691 mg/ml. The use of a plant bioindicator sensitive to pollutants, allowed concluding that the air of the city of Lome is polluted. The concentration of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide is much more evident in return when the health of plant species is threatened.

Star fruit extract and C-glycosylated flavonoid components have potential to prevent air pollutant-induced skin inflammation and premature aging

Air pollution adversely affects skin,leading to skin inflammation and premature skin aging.Plant derived antioxidant compounds have been considered to be promising in discovery of effective agents for the protection of skin from the damage by air pollutants.Our previous studies demonstrated that Averrhoa carambola fruit(known as star fruit)is rich in flavonoid C-glycosides with unique structures and potent antioxidant activity.Thus,the star fruit extract(SFE)and main flavonoid C-glycoside components,carambolasides I,J,and P(1-3),carambolaflavone B(4),and isovitexin 2″-O-α-l-rhamnoside(5),were investigated for the activity against air pollutant stress in human epidermis.As a result,SFE and compounds 1-5 exhibited significant inhibitory activity against protein carbonylation in oxidative-stressed stratum corneum with the best activity being shown by compound 3.SFE and compounds 2-5 were also active against engine exhaust-induced protein carbonylation in stratum corneum.When further evaluated,SFE and com-pound 3 significantly inhibited gene expression of the key inflammation mediators IL-1αand COX-2 in PM-stressed keratinocytes.The results indicated that SFE and the flavonoid C-glycosides are potentially effective against air pollutant-induced skin inflammation and premature aging.