Environmental disaster,pollution and infant health: Evidence from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

In 2010 the Gulf Coast experienced the largest oil spill affecting U.S. waters in history. Evaporating crude oil and dispersant chemicals can cause major health problems. This paper examines the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on air quality and infant health outcomes. Using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) AirData, vital statistics data from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and a difference-in-difference methodology, we find that the oil spill of 2010 increased concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, SO2, and CO in affected coastal counties, increased incidence of low birth weight (<2500 g) and premature born infants (<37 weeks of gestation). Heterogeneity effects reveal more pronounced adverse infant health outcomes for black, Hispanic, less educated, unmarried, and younger mothers. Results are robust to a wide range of controls and robustness checks.     

Environmental regulation as a double-edged sword for housing markets: Evidence from the NOx Budget Trading Program

We investigate the effects of environmental regulations on housing markets using a quasi-experimental setting—the NO_x Budget Trading Program (NBP). Hedonic theory predicts that house prices should rise as pollution levels decrease. However, environmental regulations may also affect labor markets, and thus housing demand. Employing a difference-in-differences framework, we find that house prices shifted up in the regulated areas with low manufacturing intensity, whereas in the areas with high manufacturing intensity, housing markets were weakened. We also find that in high-manufacturing-intensity areas, loan application volume declined, rejection rate augmented, and the probability of loan default increased.     

The derivation of discount rates with an augmented measure of income

Most developed economies invest in public goods such as national defense, education, infrastructure, and the environment. Discount rates used to evaluate such projects should reflect the rate of return on the current mix of investment opportunities. Rates derived from the productivity of private capital neglect returns beyond the market boundary. The present paper derives discount rates using an augmented measure of national income inclusive of non-market goods. In an empirical application focusing on air pollution and climate damages in the United States economy, the paper reports that the difference between augmented and market discount rates averages 0.3 percentage points from 1999 to 2014.     

古泊善后河水质污染特征及污染来源调查

以2016—2020年古泊善后河国家和省级地表水监测网水质例行监测数据为依据,采用水质指数法(WQI)对古泊善后河水质污染状况进行综合评价;基于水质评价结果,选取影响最大的两项指标COD_Mn和TP,于2020年10月对古泊善后河开展加密监测,调查分析污染来源。结果表明,2016—2020年古泊善后河水质波动变化较大,汛期降雨对水质下降影响明显,COD_Mn、TP、COD_Cr、氟化物和BOD₅是影响古泊善后河水质的主要指标;加密监测期间,古泊善后河干流水质COD_Mn和TP指标浓度分别升高28.9%、38.3%,其中宿迁段升幅显著高于连云港段;支流水质超Ⅲ类比例为22.9%,劣Ⅴ比例为6.3%;部分乡镇生活污水直排和持续降雨将农田中高浓度污染物冲刷进河流支浜,是导致水质下降的主要原因。     

镇江市挥发性有机物污染特征及来源分析

利用镇江市2019年4—10月市区4个空气质量国控站点VOCs监测数据,对大气中70种VOCs的组分特征、时间与区域变化进行分析,并用比值法研究VOCs来源特征。结果表明,4个站点PAMS组分的测定值为17.7 μg/m3~27.5μg/m3,醛酮类组分为15.4 μg/m3~165 μg/m3。各站点VOCs来源侧重点略有不同,主要来源是工业源、交通源、溶剂涂料的使用等。     

湘江大源渡枢纽底泥中镉、铅的污染特征及其潜在生态风险评价

为研究湘江大源渡枢纽底泥中Cd、Pb的污染特征及其生态风险,采集6个断面的18个底泥样品,测定了沉积物中Cd、Pb的总量、化学形态及其生物有效性,并利用地积累指数法和单因子指数法评价其污染程度与等级.结果表明,湘江大源渡枢纽底泥中Cd、Pb存在很强的积累现象,尤其是Cd污染特别严重.各采样点底泥中Cd主要以碳酸盐结合态...     

Transferral of HMs pollution from road-deposited sediments to stormwater runoff during transport processes

Ratio of turbidity and TSS (Tur/TSS) was used to characterize PSD of stormwater particles. Pb and Zn preferred to accumulate in finer RDS, while Cu, Cr and Ni in coarser RDS. HMs pollution in stormwater particles increased linearly with Tur/TSS. Dissolvability of HMs and PSD variations contribute to the differences between RDS and stormwater. Stormwater runoff, derived from the wash-off of road-deposited sediments (RDS), contains elevated heavy metal (HM) concentrations and, thus, imposes an increasing threat to urban aquatic ecosystems. In-depth understanding of the variations of HMs pollution from RDS to stormwater during transport processes facilitates the development of effective RDS and stormwater control strategies. Toward this end, the distribution of HMs (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Ni) in RDS and stormwater were investigated simultaneously. The results show a preferential accumulation of Pb and Zn in the finer (<38.5 μm) RDS, and Cu, Cr and Ni in the coarser (38.5–150 μm) RDS. For stormwater, n.d.~48.6% of HMs fractionated into the dissolved phase, and stormwater particles constitute the primary carriers of HMs. Furthermore, the accumulation of HMs in stormwater particles increased linearly with finer particle size distributions (PSD). Geoaccumulation index (I_geo) highlighted the predominant pollution of both RDS and stormwater particles by Cu, Pb and Zn. Nonetheless, Cu, Pb, and Ni mostly contributed the potential ecological risk of RDS, whereas Cu, Pb, and Zn mainly contributed that of stormwater particles. Moreover, contamination by Cu, Pb and Zn was significantly higher in stormwater particles than that in RDS. These differences are attributable to the solubility and size-dependent accumulation of HMs in RDS, as well as the PSD variations during transport processes. The study outcomes highlight the importance of very fine (nano- and submicron- scale) RDS in stormwater pollution and the necessity of control.     

Air pollution-oriented ecological risk assessment in Xiamen city,China

Urban energy consumption is one of the most important causes of air pollution. Air pollution-oriented ecological risk assessment is of great significance to the promotion of urban environmental protection. This paper focuses on ecological risk in Xiamen city caused by air pollutant discharge from urban energy consumption. The Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning model was used to establish two scenarios of energy consumption in Xiamen city, and based on different scenarios, we estimated urban energy consumption and discharge quantity of air pollutant (DQAP). A box model and an expert scoring method were used to calculate the air pollution burden (APB) of SO₂, NO₂, CO, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 and to obtain the probabilities of different air pollution loads. An ecological risk assessment model was developed and utilized to predict Xiamen city’s ecological risks in 2020. The results showed that under an energy-saving scenario, the ecological risks for PM_2.5, SO₂ and NO₂ are high, whereas the ecological risks for CO and PM₁₀ are low. Under a baseline scenario, the ecological risks for PM_2.5, SO₂ and NO₂ are moderate, whereas the ecological risks for CO and PM₁₀ are low. In addition, the APB of SO₂, NO₂, CO, and PM_2.5, but not of PM₁₀, is predicted to rise. In the simulation, energy generation from coal is the main source of air pollution. Although the DQAP from automobiles is not high, it is predicted to rise year-on-year. In summary, the ecological risk due to pollution in Xiamen city is high, and the main pollutants are SO₂, NO₂ and PM_2.5.     

长江三角洲地区大气二恶英类污染物输送-沉降模拟研究

大气中的二恶英类物质(PCDD/Fs)是一类难降解的有毒污染物,可对人类和其他哺乳动物的健康构成危害.二恶英类物质主要是由废物焚烧、金属冶炼和造纸化工等行业所产生. 二恶英类物质为半挥发性物质,可以在气态和气溶胶之间相互转移,从而影响其大气物理和化学过程. 利用耦合有机物吸收和黑碳吸附的二恶英类污染物颗粒态、气态相间分配模块和化学转化的区域大气化学、输送模式(CMAQ)模拟了2006年1月,4月,7月和10月长三角(长江三角洲)地区PCDD/Fs在大气中的输送、转化和沉降等演变过程,探讨了大气中二恶英类污染物的季节变化规律和沉降特征. 模拟结果表明,长三角地区的二恶英类污染物排放存在着明显的长距离输送特征和区域影响;冬季大气二恶英类污染物浓度明显高于夏季,湿沉降是其主要的沉降途径.      

Risk taking and accident frequency among Finnish forestry workers

The results of previous studies on the relationship between risk taking and accidents have been contradictory. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between risk taking and accident frequency among Finnish forestry workers. The subjects were 228 forestry workers whose risk taking was measured on a questionnaire with 25 items. The accident frequency was calculated based on both company-recorded and self-reported accidents. There were no significant relationships between risk taking and accident frequency. Even after elimination of age and work experience by partial correlations, there was no significant correlation between risk taking and accident frequency. Of the personality traits of the forestry workers, impulsiveness and neuroticism correlated significantly with risk taking but not with accident frequency. Two explanations for the failure to find significant correlation between risk taking and accident frequency are given.