Cost pass-through to higher ethanol blends at the pump: Evidence from Minnesota gas station data

We examine the pass-through of wholesale prices to retail prices in the market for E85, which contains 51%–83% ethanol, and in the much larger market for E10, which contains 10% ethanol. We use a panel dataset consisting of monthly observations from 2007 to March 2015 on wholesale and retail prices for 274 Minnesota gas stations that sell both E10 and E85. Consistent with prior research, the cumulative pass-through coefficient for E10 is 1.00 after one month. In contrast, the E85 market is sparse, and although pass-through increased over time, we estimate it to be only 0.53 statewide from 2012 to 2015. Pass-through is higher at stations with more local E85 competitors. In the Twin Cities, which has a high density of E85 stations, pass-through is nearly complete, but outside the Twin Cities slightly less than half the wholesale discount of E85, relative to E10, is passed on to the consumer.     

Tell the truth or not? The montero mechanism for emissions control at work

We experimentally test the truth-telling mechanism proposed by Montero (2008) for eliciting firms' abatement costs. We compare this mechanism with two well-known alternative allocation mechanisms, free and costly allocation of permits at the Pigouvian price. Controlling for the number of firms and the firms' maximal emissions, we find that, in line with the theoretical predictions, firms over-report their maximal emissions under free allocation of permits and under-report these under costly allocation of permits. Under Montero's mechanism, by contrast, firms almost always report their maximal emissions truthfully. However, in terms of efficiency, the difference between Montero's mechanism and costly allocation disappears with industries including more than one firm.     

A new baseline model for estimating willingness to pay from discrete choice models

We show a substantive problem exists with the widely-used ratio of coefficients approach to calculating willingness to pay (WTP) from discrete choice models. The correctly calculated standard error for WTP using this approach is shown to be undefined. This occurs because the cost parameter's standard error implies some possibility the true parameter value is arbitrarily close to zero. We propose a simple yet elegant way to overcome this problem by reparameterizing the (negative) cost variable's coefficient using an exponential transformation to enforce the theoretically correct positive coefficient. With it the confidence interval for WTP is now finite and well behaved.     

Discounting in the presence of scarce ecosystem services

The discount rate for cost-benefit analysis has to take account of future scarcity of ecosystem services in consumption and production. Previous literature focuses on the first aspect and shows the importance of the relative price effect, for given growth rates of consumption and ecosystem services. This paper focuses on intermediate ecosystem services in production and shows that for limited substitutability and a low growth rate of these ecosystem services, the growth rate of consumption, and thus the discount rate, declines towards a low value. Using a Ramsey growth model, the paper distinguishes three cases. If ecosystem services can be easily substituted, the discount rate converges to the usual value in the long term. Secondly, if ecosystem services can be easily substituted in production but not in consumption, the relative price effect is important. Finally, and most interestingly, if ecosystem services cannot be easily substituted in production, the discount rate declines towards a low value and the relative price effect is less important. Another part of the previous literature has shown that a declining discount rate is the result of introducing several forms of uncertainty, but this paper reaches that conclusion from an endogenous effect on the growth rate of the economy.     

Degradation of extracellular genomic,plasmid DNA and specific antibiotic resistance genes by chlorination

Extracellular DNA structure damaged by chlorination was characterized. Integrity of extracellular ARG genetic information after chlorination was determined. Typical chlorine doses will likely effectively diminish extracellular DNA and ARGs. Plasmid DNA/ARGs were less readily broken down than genomic DNA. The Bioanalyzer methodology effectively documented damage incurred to DNA. There is a need to improve understanding of the effect of chlorine disinfection on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in order to advance relevant drinking water, wastewater, and reuse treatments. However, few studies have explicitly assessed the physical effects on the DNA. Here we examined the effects of free chlorine (1–20 mg Cl₂/L) on extracellular genomic, plasmid DNA and select ARGs. Chlorination was found to decrease the fluorometric signal of extracellular genomic and plasmid DNA (ranging from 0.005 to 0.05 mg/mL) by 70%, relative to a no-chlorine control. Resulting DNA was further subject to a fragment analysis using a Bioanalyzer, indicating that chlorination resulted in fragmentation. Moreover, chlorine also effectively deactivated both chromosomal- and plasmid-borne ARGs, mecA and tetA, respectively. For concentrations >2 mg Cl₂//L × 30 min, chlorine efficiently reduced the qPCR signal when the initial concentration of ARGs was 10⁵ copies/mL or less. Notably, genomic DNA and mecA gene signals were more readily reduced by chlorine than the plasmid-borne tetA gene (by ~2 fold). Based on the results of qPCR with short (~200 bps) and long amplicons (~1200 bps), chlorination could destroy the integrity of ARGs, which likely reduces the possibility of natural transformation. Overall, our findings strongly illustrate that chlorination could be an effective method for inactivating extracellular chromosomal- and plasmid-borne DNA and ARGs.     

利谷隆在土壤中的吸附过程与机理

利谷隆是一种广泛应用的除草剂。本文研究了它在４种不同理化特性土壤中的吸附过程（平衡吸附所需的时间,土壤ｐＨ的影响及吸附等温线）和在单离子饱和粘土矿物上的吸附机理,结果表明：利谷隆在土壤的吸附强度大（Ｋｔ值在３．８８－９３．８４）;达到吸附平衡的短（５ｈ）;ｐＨ值降低,有利于吸附,ｐＨ在４－６范围内变化较明显;另外,利谷隆在土壤中形成氢键、配位键及离子键是可能的。     

Determination of arsenic in grain and soil by hydride nondispersive atomic fluorescence method

Quantity of trace arsenic in grain and soil was determined by hydride nondispersive atomic fluorescence method.Optimum conditions of measurement were selected in the experiment including the pH of the medium, reductive agent, the concentration and flowing velocity of KBH4, rate of carrier gas and atomized temperature. The reference sample of rice C was determined and the linear relationship of the calibration curve was plotted, indicating that the method was highly precise. In the experiment of recovery rate, the method was quite satisfactory.Based on the determination of hundreds of samples, it is proved that atomic fluorescence method is rapid, sensitive and low in interference. It is very efficient on determination of trace arsenic in soils and grains, especially in grains.     

工业废水催化湿式氧化处理的研究

采用系列贵金属-半导体氧化物催化剂,在高压釜中250℃液相条件下对焦化厂等工业废水以及由氨、吡啶等组成的模拟废水进行液相氧化试验。结果发现几种催化剂对不同污染物有不同序列的催化氧化活性,其净化作用有各自的选择性。WT-501催化剂对氨和有机污染物均有高活性,焦化废水经WT-501催化氧化处理后’COD、NH_3分別从9302mg/L和5230mg/L降至619mg/L和47mg/L,去除率高达93.2％和99％。     

土壤重金属污染的酶学诊断——紫色土中的镉、铜、铅、砷对水稻根系过氧化物酶的影响

通过四川酸性紫色土、中性紫色土,石灰性紫色土中不同浓度的Cd、Cu、Pb、As对水稻根系过氧化物酶的影响研究,揭示了过氧化物酶受抑制与产生抗性的过程.在低浓度时,上述元素对过氧化物酶的影响能反映土壤类型影响的差别.确定了三种紫色土中Cd、Cu、Pb、As的临界浓度.     

天然有机物的相对分子质量分布及亲疏水性对微滤膜组合工艺中膜污染的影响

研究采用混凝沉淀+粉末活性炭吸附+高锰酸钾+浸没式微滤膜的组合工艺对太湖水进行中试试验,通过高效凝胶色谱(HPSEC-UV-TOC)和三维荧光(3DEEM)的测定方法,着重考察有机物的相对分子质量(Mr)分布和亲疏水性对膜不可逆污染的影响.凝胶色谱分析表明:预处理可几乎完全去除大分子有机物(Mr>10×103),但仅能去除部分的中等分子(10×103>Mr>1×103)和小分子(Mr<1×103)有机物.研究发现化学清洗水中的有机物相对分子质量多为中等分子和小分子,说明导致膜不可逆污染的主要是中等分子和小分子有机物.此外,洗膜水中强疏和中性亲水组分含量远高于弱疏和极性亲水,说明强疏和中性亲水组分是不可逆污染的主要物质.三维荧光分析表明,芳香族蛋白质和溶解性微生物产物是造成膜不可逆污染的主要污染物.