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.     

Carbon taxation,OPEC and the end of oil

I develop a differential game between an oil cartel and an importer investing in research and development (R&D) to reduce the cost of a green substitute to oil. In equilibrium, the cartel is forced to deter the substitute, which thus imposes a price ceiling falling over time. Credible carbon taxes are below the Pigovian level, implying the importer cannot internalise the full pollution externality, much less capture resource rents. Without carbon pricing, the importer curtails long-run pollution using a costly R&D programme. Normatively, climate policy will be more expensive if relying on green R&D programmes only.     

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.     

Energy performance certification and time on the market

This paper analyzes whether energy performance certificates (EPCs) serve as means to reduce the information asymmetry among market participants during the sale of homes. Using a sample of 876,000 single-family homes in the Netherlands, we examine the impact of EPC adoption on the speed of sale. Our results indicate that energy-rated homes sell faster than non-energy-rated homes, an effect that varies by 7–12 percent depending on model specifications and increases when positive (green) ratings are granted. The information conveyed by these certificates reduces the information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, which helps to reduce the uncertainty of quality.     

Spatial aggregation and the value of natural capital

Location matters for the value of capital assets. The value of changes in natural capital wealth can depend on whether natural capital asset prices are measured locally and then aggregated or whether average values are applied over aggregate representative areas. Spatial heterogeneity of resource characteristics and institutions impact approximations of the intertemporal welfare function and accounting price function because when spatial aggregation precedes valuation it implies greater arbitrage opportunities leading to more inelastic shadow (accounting) price functions than when valuation is done locally and then aggregated. Aggregation of observed values across varying resource and institutional characteristics can lead to omitted variables bias. We illustrate these results in the context of groundwater in the Kansas High Plains Aquifer and demonstrate that the accounting price function is less elastic when the accounting price is measured locally. Failure to measure locally and then aggregate could lead to undervaluing scarce resources and overvaluing plentiful ones, which biases wealth accounts in favor of passing the non-declining wealth sustainability test.     

Effects of stricter environmental regulations on resource development

This analysis seeks to understand whether changes in oil regulation brought about by the shale revolution have restricted the pace of drilling and production. This hypothesis is tested using data on North Dakota and Montana both before and after North Dakota increased regulations that raise fixed costs. Results generally find that the new regulations had no statistical impact on the pace of drilling and production, however it is found that smaller operators reduced their production and exited. These results are instructive for policymakers who weigh the loss of economic welfare against improved environmental quality when deciding on new regulations.     

鱼类肝脏微粒体对于硫代磷酸酯类杀虫剂活化代谢率的种间差异(Species-Related Difference of Liver Microsomes of Fish in Activation of Organothiophosphorus Insecticides)

为了弄清鱼类肝脏微粒体细胞色素P450s(CYPs)对于硫代磷酸酯类杀虫剂活化代谢率的种间差别,选用斑马鱼Brachydanio rerio、麦穗鱼Pseudorasbora parva、剑尾鱼Xiphophorus helleri、篮鳃太阳鱼Leponus macrohirus四种鱼作为受试生物,选用对硫磷、马拉硫磷、毒死蜱三种硫代磷酸酯类杀虫剂作为受试药剂,以外源乙酰胆碱酯酶(AchE)的抑制率为指标,在离体状态下间接测量了杀虫剂活化代谢物的相对生成量.离体试验表明,对于对硫磷,活化代谢物生成量的高低顺序为:斑马鱼、剑尾鱼、麦穗鱼>太阳鱼(p<0.05),最高的麦穗鱼和最低的太阳鱼之间相差10.0倍;对于马拉硫磷和毒死蜱,活化代谢物生成量的高低顺序均为:剑尾鱼>太阳鱼>斑马鱼、麦穗鱼(p<0.05),最高的剑尾鱼和最低的麦穗鱼之间的分别相差66.9和137倍.毒性测定表明,对于对硫磷、马拉硫磷和毒死蜱,四种鱼96hLC50之间的最大差别分别是45、18和77倍.对马拉硫磷而言,96hLC50的种间差异特征与活化代谢物生成量的种间差异特征比较吻合,而对于对硫磷和毒死蜱而言,两者之间的吻合度较低.研究证实了肝脏CYP在活化硫代磷酸酯杀虫剂方面具有明显的种间差异,同时也证实仅以活化代谢物的离体生成量这一指标来衡量鱼类对于硫代磷酸酯杀虫剂的敏感性,其结论可能会较大幅度地偏离生测结果.尽管如此,本研究证实在所测的鱼类当中,斑马鱼属于CYP活性较低的鱼种,而这一特性很可能是造成斑马鱼对于硫代磷酸酯杀虫剂的敏感性偏低的重要原因.     

三苯基锡对青萍生长及酶活性的影响

以青萍(Lemna mino)为实验生物,通过研究不同浓度(0、0.04、0.08、0.12、0.16、0.20mg·L-1)的三苯基锡(TPT)对青萍生长发育及过氧化氢酶(CAT)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性的影响,初步探讨了TPT对水生浮萍植物的毒性作用,以期为及时发现并排除TPT污染提供理论和直观依据.实验结果表明:培养4d后,TPT对青萍叶片生长量的半数抑制浓度(IC50)为0.10mg·L-1;CAT、POD活性随TPT处理浓度的升高显著升高(各暴露组与对照组均差异显著,p<0.05).结果显示,TPT对青萍具有明显的毒性作用,CAT和POD活性的变化可作为反映TPT污染胁迫的敏感指标.     

吡啶硫酮锌对水生生物的急性毒性(Acute Toxicity Effects of Zinc Pyrithione on Aquatic Organisms)

在没有下水处理设施的地区,去屑洗发香波中所含有的吡啶硫酮锌(zinc pyrithione,ZPT)随着生活废水被直接排放到河中.为了考察流入河中的ZPT对水生生物的影响,设想ZPT最终被底质吸附,在添加和未添加底质两种试验条件下,采用静水生物测试法对麦穗鱼、青鳉、泥鳅鱼、直突摇蚊亚科二龄幼虫、河蚬进行了室内急性毒性试验.结果表明,添加底质时,ZPT对麦穗鱼、青鳉、泥鳅鱼、直突摇蚊亚科二龄幼虫、河蚬48h的半致死浓度LC50分别为0.06、0.09、0.27、0.07和5.05mg·L-1;未添加底质时,ZPT对麦穗鱼、青鳉、泥鳅鱼、直突摇蚊亚科二龄幼虫、河蚬48hLC50分别为0.10、0.11、0.22、0.12和5.34mg·L-1.统计结果显示,添加与未添加底质,ZPT对上述供试生物的48hLC50值无显著差异(p>0.05).根据我国相关标准判定ZPT对麦穗鱼、青鳉、直突摇蚊亚科2龄幼虫属剧毒物质.     

工频磁场诱导人FL细胞膜EGF的受体聚簇及噪声磁场的干预

为了研究50Hz工频磁场对人源细胞膜表皮生长因子(epidermal growth factor,EGF)的受体聚簇现象的可能诱导作用及噪声磁场的干预,将人羊膜细胞FL(human amniotic cells)分别用EGF、不同强度(0.05、0.1、0.2、0.4mT)工频磁场、噪声磁场、工频磁场和噪声磁场叠加的复合场处理15 min后,用间接免疫荧光染色法标记,并用激光共聚焦显微镜观察细胞膜表皮生长因子(EGF)的受体的聚簇现象.结果表明,0.1、0.2、0.4mT工频磁场辐照FL细胞15 min可诱导细胞膜EGF的受体发生聚簇,但0.05mT工频磁场辐照时,细胞膜不出现EGF受体的明显聚簇.0.2mT噪声磁场则不能诱导细胞膜EGF受体的聚簇;当0.2mT噪声磁场与0.1、0.2mT工频磁场叠加后,可抑制工频磁场诱导的细胞膜EGF受体聚簇,但不能完全抑制0.4mT工频磁场诱导的细胞膜EGF受体聚簇.研究结果表明,一定强度的工频磁场能诱导细胞膜EGF受体的聚簇;其作用阈值在0.05～0.1mT之间;噪声磁场对工频磁场诱导膜受体聚簇的干预作用存在剂量-效应关系.