职业病危害及经济损失

我国工业职业病危害严重，造成的经济损失巨大，约占年国民经济总产值的２．５％以上，加强对职业病危害的预防、控制，以减少损失十分必要。为保证我国经济建设的顺利进行，必须完善立法，用经济手段强化对职业病的预防、监控和管理。     

水库下游洪灾淹没损失的估算

本文为评价水库的防洪效益，探讨了水库下游保护区内洪水灾害淹没损失的估算方法，并通过实例进行了检验。这对水库的防洪规划及其它防洪效益定量估算问题有很大的意义。     

用机会成本法测算乡镇砖厂的环境经济损益

乡镇砖厂是乡镇企业中的一大财政支柱，目前，绝大多数的砖厂都生产粘土砖，因此，建成 了制砖取土毁地的现象十分严重，而制砖过程排放的大气污染物对农村环境质量的影响也很大，使农村生态环境逐步恶，本文根据机会成本法对佳木斯市乡镇砖厂毁地作环境经济的损益分析。     

A SEMI-DISTRIBUTED ADAPTIVE MODEL FOR REAL-TIME FLOOD FORECASTING1

ABSTRACT: A semi-distributed deterministic model for real-time flood forecasting in large basins is proposed. Variability of rainfall and losses in space is preserved and the effective rainfall-direct runoff model segment based on the Clark procedure is incorporated. The distribution of losses in space is assumed proportional to rainfall intensity and their evolution in time is represented by the φ-index; furthermore, an initial period without production of effective rainfall is considered. The first estimation of losses and the associated forecasts of flow are performed at the time corresponding to the first rise observed in the hydrograph. Then the forecasts of flow are corrected at each subsequent time step through the updating of the φ-index. The model was tested by using rainfall-runoff events observed on two Italian basins and the predictions of flow for lead times up to six hours agree reasonably well with the observations in each event. For example, for the coefficient of persistence, which compares the model forecasts with those generated by the no-model assumption, appreciable positive values were computed. In particular, for the larger basin with an area of 4,147 km², the mean values were 0.4, 0.4 and 0.5 for forecast lead times of two hours, four hours and six hours, respectively. Good performance of the model is also shown by a comparison of its flow predictions with those derived from a unit hydrograph based model     

Eutrophication of Buttermilk Bay,a cape cod coastal embayment: Concentrations of nutrients and watershed nutrient budgets

Nutrient concentrations in Buttermilk Bay, a coastal embayment on the northern end of Buzzards Bay, MA, are higher in the nearshore where salinities are lower. This pattern suggests that freshwater sources may contribute significantly to nutrient inputs into Buttermilk Bay. To evaluate the relative importance of the various sources we estimated inputs of nutrients by each major source into the watershed and into the bay itself. Septic systems contributed about 40% of the nitrogen and phosphorus entering the watershed, with precipitation and fertilizer use adding the remainder. Groundwater transported over 85% of the nitrogen and 75% of the phosphorus entering the bay. Most nutrients entering the watershed failed to reach the bay; uptake by forests, soils, denitrification, and adsorption intercepted two-thirds of the nitrogen and nine-tenths of the phosphorus that entered the watershed. The nutrients that did reach the bay most likely originated from subsoil injections into groundwater by septic tanks, plus some leaching of fertilizers.Buttermilk Bay water has relatively low nutrient concentrations, probably because of uptake of nutrients by macrophytes and because of relatively rapid tidal flushing. Annual budgets of nutrients entering the watershed showed a low nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio of 6, but passage of nutrients through the watershed raised N/P to 23, probably because of adsorption of PO₄ during transit. The N/P ratio of water that leaves the watershed and presumably enters the bay is probably high enough to maintain active growth of nitrogenlimited coastal producers. There is a seasonal shift in N/P in the water column of Buttermilk Bay. N/P exceeded the 161 Redfield ratio during midwinter; the remainder of the year N/P fell below 161. This suggests that annual budgets do not provide sufficiently detailed data with which to interpret nutrient-limitation of producers. Further, some idea of water turnover is also needed to evaluate impact of loading rates. Urbanization of watersheds seems to increase loadings to nearshore environments, and to shift the nutrient loadings delivered to coastal waters to relatively high N-to-P ratios, potentially stimulating growth of nitrogen-limited primary producers.     

Louisiana wetland loss: A regional water management approach to the problem

Loss of Louisiana's coastal wetlands has reached catastrophic proportions. The loss rate is approximately 150 km²/yr (100 acres/day) and is increasing exponentially. Total wetland loss since the turn of the century has been almost 0.5 million ha (1.1 million acres) and represents an area larger than Rhode Island. The physical cause of the problem lies in man's attempts to control the Mississippi River's flooding, while enhancing navigation and extracting minerals. Levee systems and control structures confine sediments that once nourished the wetlands to the river channel. As a consequence, the ultimate sediment deposition is in deep Gulf waters off the Louisiana coast. The lack of sediment input to the interdistributary wetlands results in an accretion deficit. Natural and human-induced subsidence exceeds accretion so that the wetlands sink below sea level and convert to water. The solution is to provide a thin veneer of sediment (approximately 0.6 cm/yr; an average of 1450 g m^?2 yr^?1) over the coastal marshes and swamps and thus prevent the submergence of vegetation. The sediment source is the Mississippi River system. Calculations show that 9.2% of the river's annual suspended sediment load would be required to sustain the deltaic plain wetlands. It should be distributed during the six high-water months (December–June) through as disaggregated a network as possible. The problem is one of distribution: how can the maximum acres of marsh be nourished with the least cost? At present, the river is managed through federal policy for the benefit of navigation and flood control. A new policy structure, recognizing the new role for the river-sediment distribution, is recommended.     

WELFARE IMPLICATIONS OF TUBEWELL IRRIGATION IN BANGLADESH1

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates and estimates the welfare loss due to monopoly in tubewell irrigation water market in Bangladesh. In this context, an attempt has been made to evaluate the efficacy of the landless irrigation groups. Using cross-sectional data and regression analysis, cost and demand functions for irrigation water are estimated. The study demonstrates the relatively superior performance of the landless groups in terms of economic efficiency in shallow tubewell irrigation operation, in comparison to irrigation operation by the landowners.     

Interactions of risk analysis and contingency planning in risk management

Risk management entails knowledge of the risk and how best to reduce it; its objective is to minimize losses arising from existing or potential risk. With effective contingency planning, risk analysis and its corollary, consequence analysis, can contribute synergistically to improved risk management. Until recently, risk analysis and contingency or emergency response planning were considered distinct disciplines with little interactive potential. Fortunately, industry now recognizes that linking the two can help ensure public safety as well as preserve the financial integrity of plant owners. Both areas are receiving increased and well-deserved attention; several incidents in recent years have demonstrated that losses could have been greatly reduced if better precautions and procedures had been in place as a result of risk analysis and contingency planning.     

SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF A DRAINAGE SIMULATION MODEL1

A sensitivity analysis of a computer model, simulating major water and nitrogen processes of a soil-water-plant-climatic system on an annual basis, was conducted to determine how the model reacts to the variations in selected hydrologic and nitrogen parameters. Two major output variables (namely, total subsurface drain volume and cumulative nitrate loss with subsurface drain water) were selected for the sensitivity analysis. Model sensitivity analysis shows that the model is most sensitive to hydrologic parameters. The model is very sensitive to variations in the initial water content in the soil profile.     

Influence of Environmental Factors on the Evolution of Industrial Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

The aim of the study is to investigate how environmental factors, associated with exposure to industrial noise, affect the development of chronic noise-induced hearing loss.The studywas conducted on 186 male subjectsworking in two bottling plants, situated respectively in a small farming community, and in a medium-sized city with significant levels of noise pollution. Levels of occupational exposure were the same for the two groups.The subjects were selected by means of a preliminary medical examination, and exposed to tonal hearing tests and acoustic impedance tests. Statistical analysis was performed on hearing threshold values obtained at the frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz.The comparison between the thresholds obtained in the two groups showed a statistically significant difference, especially at the frequency of 4000 Hz and for occupational exposure exceeding 17 yr. The results led us to conclude that environmental factors, and urban noise in particular, influence the onset and development of occupational acoustic trauma, and that those working in the country are significantly less affected than those in the city. Since occupational exposure was the same for both groups, their different responses must therefore be interpreted as due to differences in nonoccupational exposure, in turn dependent on different opportunities for rest from noise and different levels of exposure to noise pollution.