The channels of the effect of government expenditure on the environment: evidence using dynamic panel data

This paper explores the relationship between government spending and environmental quality using panel data for 94 countries for the period 1970–2008. We identify and estimate three distinct channels that comprise the total direct effect of government expenditure on air pollution, namely a marginal effect, an effect conditional on economic growth and an effect conditional on institutional quality. Since adjustment rate of emissions to their equilibrium level is slow due to technological and institutional reasons, we explicitly take into account dynamics by applying appropriate econometric methods. The results demonstrate that there is a significant alleviating direct effect of government expenditure on SO₂ and NO_x emissions, which increases with the level of economic growth and democracy. However, there is no evidence of a significant effect on pollutants with more global impact on the environment and human health, like N₂O and CO₂, implying that the adoption of international environmental treaties is required in this case.     

Impact of demographic dynamics on CO_2 emissions in Sichuan,China

Global climate change is one of the major environmental issues faced by humans.Existing evidence indicates that the anthropogenic push for a rise in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases(GHGs)(particularly CO_2)has been a primary cause for global warming.Aside from economic and teclinological factors,demographic dynamics(including human consumption in a broad demographic sense)has been a major driver for CO_2 emissions.In this paper,we performed both nonlinear regression analysis(based on the STIRPAT model)and gray correlation degree analysis(based on gray system theory)on the impact of demographic dynamics on CO_2 emissions.Our results reveal that CO_2 emissions are positively correlated with population size and GDP per capita and negatively correlated with energy intensity.We also show that gray correlation degree with CO_2 emissions for five variables(i.e.,household consumption,urbanization rate,household size,population aging rate,population size)varies substantially:household consumptionurbanization ratehousehold sizepopulation aging ratepopulation size,with household consumption being the highest,and population size the lowest.To mitigate the impact of demographic dynamics on CO_2 emissions,it is of vital significance to nurture people's awareness of sustainable consumption and to adhere to current population control policies.     

A two-generational reproductive toxicity study of zinc in rats

A two-generation reproductive toxicity study of zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) was conducted in rats. F_o male and female rats were administered 0.00 (control), 7.50 (low), 15.00 (mid) and 30.00 (high) mg/kg/day of ZnCl₂. Selected F₁ male and female rats were exposed to the same doses received by their parents (F_o). Exposure of F₀ parental rats to ZnCl₂ showed significant reduction in fertility, viability (days 0 and 4), and the body weight of F₁ pups from the high-dose group but caused no effects on litter size, weaning index, and sex ratio. Similarly, the continued exposure of F₁ parental rats to ZnCl₂ also reduced fertility, liter size, viability (day 0), and the body weight of F₂ pups within the high-dose group but caused no effects on weaning index and sex ratio. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F₀ and F₁ parental males resulted in a significant reduction in their body weights, and the F₀ and F₁ parental females did not show any significant difference in their body weights compared to their control groups. However, the postpartum dam weights of both F₀ and F₁ female rats were significantly reduced compared to their controls. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F_o and F₁ generation parental rats did not produce any significant change of their clinical signs as well as their clinical pathology parameters, except the alkaline phosphotase (ALK) level, which showed an upward trend in both sexes of both generations. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F₀ rats resulted in a reduction of brain, liver, kidney, spleen and seminal vesicles weights of males and in the spleen and uterus of females. Similarly, exposure of F₁ rats to ZnCl₂ also resulted in reduction of brain, liver, kidney, adrenal, spleen, prostate and seminal vesicles weights of males and in spleen and uterus of females. ZnCl₂ exposure resulted in grossly observed gastro-intestianla (GI) tract, lymphoreticular/hematopoietic, and reproductive tract lesions in parental rats in both generations. Reduced body fat was also recorded in F₁ parental rats.     

Effects of dimethoate on rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus using multigeneration toxicity tests

As important members of the zooplankton community and sources of food for fish, rotifers are used extensively in ecotoxicological research to assess the health of the environment and safety of compounds. However, most rotifer toxicity tests are only conducted using rotifer neonates derived from unexposed mothers, thus ignoring the potential transfer of contaminants from mother to offspring. To understand better the mother to offspring exposure, a multigenerational study was conducted using three successive generations (F₀, F₁ and F₂) of the common freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus to investigate the toxic effects of the widely used organophosphate pesticide, dimethoate (O, O-dimethyl S-methylcarbamoylmethyl phosphorodithioate). When the F₀ generation was exposed to five pesticide concentrations, the population growth rate (r) displayed symptoms of hormesis, characterized by the conversion of low-concentration stimulation to high-concentration inhibition. Despite this observation, the exposure to any given concentration of dimethoate reduced the population growth rates of the F₁ and F₂ generation rotifers. Significant differences existed between the F₀, F₁ and F₂ rotifers for the population growth rate under dimethoate stress: F₂ individuals were more sensitive than F₁, whereas the F₁ individuals were more sensitive than F₀. The results indicated that the parental exposure to a given toxic stress could result in increased sensitivity and decreased fitness in the offspring. This study illustrates the utility of multigenerational toxicity tests, which may better reflect and more accurately predict the effects of long-term pesticide exposure to aquatic organisms at the population level.     

System Dynamics to Sustainable Water Resources Management in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer Under Water Supply Uncertainty1

Abstract: Water supply uncertainty continues to threaten the reliability of regional water resources in the western United States. Climate variability and water dispute potentials induce water managers to develop proactive adaptive management strategies to mitigate future hydroclimate impacts. The Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer in the state of Idaho is also facing these challenges in the sense that population growth and economic development strongly depend on reliable water resources from underground storage. Drought and subsequent water conflict often drive scientific research and political agendas because water resources availability and aquifer management for a sustainable rural economy are of great interest. In this study, a system dynamics approach is applied to address dynamically complex problems with management of the aquifer and associated surface‐water and groundwater interactions. Recharge and discharge dynamics within the aquifer system are coded in an environmental modeling framework to identify long‐term behavior of aquifer responses to uncertain future hydrological variability. The research shows that the system dynamics approach is a promising modeling tool to develop sustainable water resources planning and management in a collaborative decision‐making framework and also to provide useful insights and alternative opportunities for operational management, policy support, and participatory strategic planning to mitigate future hydroclimate impacts in human dimensions.     

厌氧池-复合型人工湿地系统污水处理效果的季节变化

利用厌氧池-复合型人工湿地(AT-ICW)系统处理农村生活污水,探讨工艺系统不同季节对污水的处理效果。结果表明,该工艺系统春、夏、秋季对氨氮(NH4+-N)、总磷(TP)表现出稳定且较好的去除效果,去除率分别为92.8%～97.0%和56.4%～65.9%,冬季去除率相对较差,平均去除率分别为67.1%和42.5%。NO3--N的去除效果差,四季均出现积累,累积率达到71.5%～342.9%。系统春、夏季对总氮(TN)去除效果较好,去除率为57.3%～68.9%,秋、冬季去除效果相对较差,为24.5%～35.8%。系统夏季COD去除效果好,平均去除率达到78.3%,冬、春季去除效果较差,为37.8%～43.5%。各项污水排放指标均达到城镇污水处理厂污染物排放一级A类标准。AT-ICW系统不仅处理效果好,而且运行费用低,适用于农村分散型生活污水处理。     

西安市大气中多环芳烃的季节变化及健康风险评价

对西安市2009年6月-2010年5月空气中的总悬浮颗粒（TSP）和气态样品进行了连续采样,利用GC—MS对16种PAHs进行分析。∑PAHs浓度（气相＋颗粒相）范围为39．93～1032．46ng／m^3,平均值为197．34ng／m^3;其中,冬季大气中∑PAHs浓度最大,相对浓度的范围为31．21％～72．98％,而夏季的浓度最小;检测出16种2～6环的PAHs,其中以3—4环为主。利用特征分子比值法和因子分析进行源解析,发现研究区PAHs的主要来源为燃煤和机动车尾气排放。通过苯并（a）芘（BaP）等效毒性（BEQ）和苯并（a）芘等效致癌浓度（BaPE）进行健康风险评价,结果显示,西安大气中PAHs的毒性具有明显的季节差异,特别是秋季和冬季大气中PAHs对人类的健康存在较大的潜在威胁。     

连片生态浮床对微污染河水的净化效果

选取漕桥河的支流庙尖浜作为实验河段,以睡莲(Nymphaea alba)、菖蒲(Acorus calamus Linn)和水芹(Oenan-the javanica(Blume)DC)作为微污染水体净化的浮床植物,研究连片生态浮床的净化能力随季节的变化和浮床面积对连片生态浮床净化能力的影响。结果显示,秋-冬-春季节内植物的净化能力随季节变化呈"U"型,相应的河水水质的变化呈一个倒置的"U"型;在一定营养负荷和植物正常生长状况下,沿水流方向,氮、磷含量随浮床面积的增加而降低——春季时,随浮床面积增加,菖蒲区对TN的去除率由8.6%增加到26.7%,TP的去除率由17.1%增加到58.2%,水芹区对TN和TP的去除率最高可达22.0%和28.0%。研究表明连片生态浮床是河道水质改善的有效可行的方法之一,可为太湖入湖河流的营养物质控制提供科学依据。     

东湖典型区域间隙水中营养盐的时空分布

以富营养化程度严重的浅水湖泊东湖为研究对象,通过持续采样调查,分析并比较了3个典型采样点柱状沉积物间隙水中营养盐的垂直分布和季节变化特征,结果表明东湖沉积物间隙水中营养盐浓度最高值一般出现在-5 cm以上,-5～-10 cm之间有一个快速降低的过程,-10～-26 cm之间趋于稳定,但也有小幅的波动;冬季间隙水中营养盐浓度明显低于其他季节,夏秋两季略高。分析认为沉积物间隙水中营养盐浓度受附近污染源直接影响较大,与上覆水水质有一定相关性,但不显著。间隙水中营养盐的季节变化主要因为冬季污染排放减少加速了间隙水中营养盐向上覆水的扩散、减少了水中营养盐在沉积物表层的沉积,以及温度降低导致微生物活动减少进而降低了有机物的矿化分解量。并且认为常规疏浚深度就可以有效移除东湖表层污染严重的沉积物     

柔性散粒材料静力及动力学性能实验研究

战场环境下单兵防常规炸弹爆炸抗震减震技术装备及器材,由于受经费投入、战场环境等因素影响,一直没有成功研制并得到装备.通过室内砂箱振动台震动模拟试验,测试了不同柔性散粒材料在震动条件下的加速度值,对其减震性能作了一些初步的探讨.通过研究,可以看到柔性散粒材料在隔震方面具有其他材料所不具有的优越性能,可以作为制造隔震器材的首选.