Plants grown in pollution-stressed situations release more allergens. Air pollutants can change the chemical composition of pollen, increasing pollen allergens’ potency and triggering stronger allergic reactions. Air pollutants like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides may also make the outer coating of pollen grains more fragile, thus, more likely to rupture into smaller fragments, penetrating deeper into the lungs. Breathing in pollutants like ozone, particulate matter, and diesel exhaust particles damages our airways lining and interferes with our body’s defenses, amplifying our reactions to pollen. Longer, more intense pollen seasons are expected, with worsening air quality, so seasonal allergies and other allergic lung diseases will likely increase.
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