After an engine 1 has started to operate, a state in which a humidity represented by an output of a humidity sensor 19 downstream of a hydrocarbon adsorbent 7 takes a minimum value is sequentially searched for, and a timing at which the humidity changes from the minimum value to a monotonously increasing state is grasped as a timing at which the adsorption of moisture and hydrocarbons by the hydrocarbon adsorbent 7 is saturated. After the engine has started to operate, a parameter representing an integrated amount of moisture given to the hydrocarbon adsorbent 7 by the exhaust gas is sequentially generated, and a deteriorated state of the hydrocarbon adsorbent 7 is evaluated based on the value of the parameter at the timing at which the adsorption is saturated. The deteriorated state of the hydrocarbon absorbent can thus accurately be evaluated by an inexpensive arrangement which employs the humidity sensor 19 disposed downstream of the hydrocarbon adsorbent 7.