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Low-Level Lead Exposure and Children's Human Capital: Evidence from Piston-Engine Aircraft

Author

Listed:
  • Duong, Thao

    (Union College)

  • Zhong, Jiee

    (Miami University)

Abstract

How harmful are low levels of lead exposure to children's human capital development? We provide new causal evidence by exploiting a post-2007 surge in piston-engine aircraft activity, the largest remaining source of airborne lead emissions in the United States, driven by flight-training demand. Using a triple-differences design and longitudinal administrative data, we find that students attending schools within one mile of high-surge airports score 0.168 standard deviations lower on reading tests and are 6% and 25% less likely to graduate from high school and enroll in a public university, respectively. Estimated effects on behavioral outcomes are small and statistically insignificant.

Suggested Citation

  • Duong, Thao & Zhong, Jiee, 2026. "Low-Level Lead Exposure and Children's Human Capital: Evidence from Piston-Engine Aircraft," IZA Discussion Papers 18996, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18996
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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