New Mexico
Study finds industrial air pollution contributes to New Mexico’s low birthweight
Babies born with weights less than 5 lbs 8 ounces (2,500 grams), can face a host of health challenges and an increased risk for chronic health problems like diabetes and heart disease later in life. Now, for the first time, researchers at The University of New Mexico have linked industrial air pollution to the state’s above-average rates of babies born with low birthweight in a study published in the Journal of Environmental Management.
About one in 12 babies in the United States is born with low birthweight, but in New Mexico, the rate is nearly one in 10, according to March of Dimes. While the connection between low birth weight and air pollution has been researched before in other places, the study, “Industrial air pollution and low birth weight in New Mexico, U.S.,” is the first of its kind in New Mexico. The study examined the relationship between industrial emissions that mothers were exposed to at their residential locations while pregnant and the weight of their babies at birth.
The research team included members of the UNM Department of Geography and Environmental Studies: Assistant Professor Xi Gong, Ph.D. Candidate Yanhong Huang, and Associate Professor Yan Lin; as well as Jenny Duong from New Mexico Department of Health; Assistant Professor Shuguang Leng from UNM Department of Internal Medicine; Professor F. Benjamin Zhan from Texas State University; Professor Yan Guo from University of Miami; and Associate Professor Li Luo from UNM Department of Internal Medicine.
The team used data from the New Mexico Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency in an emission weighted proximity model to quantify exposure intensity by home address. They analyzed New Mexico birth certificates from 2008 to 2017, which included 233,340 babies with normal birth weight and 22,375 babies with low birth weight (defined as less than 2500 grams in the study). Researchers also compared information on demographic and medical factors between both groups for the analysis.
“We wanted to find out if industrial air pollution is a risk factor for low birthweight in New Mexico and we were able to identify five air pollutants that show significant positive associations to low birthweight,” Huang said.
Low birth weight can contribute to the development of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, developmental disabilities, metabolic syndrome and obesity later in life. It can also create immediate challenges for babies like retinopathy, and problems with breathing and digestion, according to March of Dimes.
The study relied on annual emissions data from the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory Program, which requires industrial facilities in the U.S. to submit detailed emissions reports each year, and air quality monitoring data from the EPA’s Air Quality System DataMart to determine the amounts of air pollutants pregnant people were exposed to.
Researchers discovered that residential exposures to several pollutants during pregnancy had positive associations with low birthweight in babies: 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, benzene, chlorine, ethylbenzene, and styrene. Each of the pollutants is the result of industrial operations and the researchers found that the closer pregnant people lived to facilities generating those pollutants, the more likely they were to have a baby with low birthweight.
While many of the pollutants have been identified as contributors to low birthweight in previous studies, this study identified 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene for the first time. The publication is the first individual-based study conducted over a long period in New Mexico that examines the effects of air pollution on low birthweight.
The study found that emissions were largely concentrated in the northwest region, southeast region and Albuquerque area. Researchers suggest further research should emphasize the southeastern part of the state, which is close to more than 50 industrial facilities in Texas that emit the five chemicals identified in the study.
“We hope these results can be used to help the public and government officials better understand the environmental risks of industrial air pollutants,” Gong said. Gong and Huang will next work on a similar study focused on industrial air pollution and cancer rates in New Mexico.
More information:
Xi Gong et al, Industrial air pollution and low birth weight in New Mexico, USA, Journal of Environmental Management (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119236
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Grant’s Monday Night Forecast
A few evaporating rain showers are possible again Tuesday with warmer temperatures. Windier weather later this week will bring a high fire danger back to New Mexico.
It’s been a warm day with a few isolated showers and thunderstorms across central and northern New Mexico. Some of that rain has made it to the ground, while other showers have evaporated before reaching the surface. Temperatures have climbed into the 70s and 80s for most of the state. Showers will fade after sunset, with mostly clear skies overnight and mild temperatures.
Even warmer weather is on the way Tuesday with lighter winds. More areas will reach the 80s by the afternoon. A few spotty showers will develop again, especially near the mountains, with some of that rain evaporating before reaching the ground.
Winds pick up Wednesday afternoon, with gusts between 25 and 45 mph. This will begin another stretch of high fire danger across the state. The strongest winds arrive Thursday, with westerly gusts of 35 to 55 mph. That will expand the fire danger statewide. A dry cold front will move through Thursday as well, but temperatures will only drop slightly, ending up closer to average.
Breezy conditions continue Friday through the weekend as the jet stream pulls more moisture into New Mexico. That will bring increasing chances for rain and thunderstorms this weekend, with a few lingering into early next week.
New Mexico
Landlord AC ordinance, Rio Grande water levels, Spotty rain, New legislative office, New Mexico Motorfest
Monday’s Top Stories
Monday’s Five Facts
[1] ABQ City Councilor aims to bolster protections for renters amid unseasonable warmth – Albuquerque city councilor is looking to make sure city landlords are not only providing cooling systems, but also ensuring they actually work when they’re needed. City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn spearheaded an ordinance in December of 2024, requiring all Albuquerque rental properties to have a cooling system. Now, Fiebelkorn is taking it a step further, hoping to establish cooling system performance requirements. The ordinance is expected to be voted on in final action at Monday’s city council meeting.
[2] Rio Grande showing dry spots in Valencia County amid record-low snowpack – Portions of the Rio Grande are now seeing dry spots earlier than expected. Officials say the timing is not normal. In Valencia County, parts of the river are already running dry. Near the river crossing in Los Lunas, the river has open pockets. Further south, it is being reported as dry as well. There is a slight positive outlook for the monsoon season, with forecasters and officials predicting a strong season in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.
[3] Very spotty rainfall, warmer, & mostly calm week – Warmer weather will continue building in across the state throughout the upcoming week. A few isolated rain chances will return Monday in parts of New Mexico, but some of that rain may evaporate before reaching the ground. Temperatures will continue to increase through the middle of the week.
[4] NM representatives celebrate grand opening of new office with open house – A new state legislative office made its debut for representatives Eleanor Chavez and Yanira Gurrola. The new location is just one of the handful of new legislative offices now open across the state. They hosted a grand opening for the building that was open to the public. Representative Gurrola says it’s just one step towards modernizing the state’s legislature. The new office will allow residents to stay more connected to each representative.
[5] New Mexico Motorfest 2026 takes place in celebration of Route 66 Centennial – Another Route 66 celebration took place over the weekend and this one was all about cars. The New Mexico Motorfest happened at the Expo New Mexico racetrack. Over 300 vehicles from classic hot rods to lifted trucks were featured at the event. Some of the proceeds went to New Mexico veterans.
New Mexico
Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair
Students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair at New Mexico Tech. Photo CourtesyLAPS
LAHS junior Tate Plohr and freshman Linus Plohr qualified to attend the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May in Phoenix, Ariz. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Los Alamos Middle School student Branden Keller was awarded the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair. Photo Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS NEWS RELEASE
Twenty students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) competed, with several garnering awards at the 2026 New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.
LAHS junior Tate Plohr qualified to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) next month in Phoenix, Ariz. He was awarded the 3rd-place Grand Award. Freshman Linus Plohr qualified as an alternate and will also be attending the Regeneron ISEF.
Students who participated in the state competition include, from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Sydney Chen, Mary Beth Kelsey, Lily Neale, Aurora Roberts Voss and Henry Rodarte; and Glyn Lo and Ernest Maupin, Mountain Elementary.
Students from LAMS who competed include Evelyn Fobes, Mason Garcia, Andrew Gilbertson, James Junghans, Sequoya Ke, Brandon Keller, Nejan Liyanage and Daniel Yampolsky.
LAHS students Julia Neale, Linus Plohr, Tate Plohr, Lilia Veteva, Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch competed at the senior level.
2026 Award winners:
Category Awards – Junior Division
- Animal Science, Cellular & Molecular
- Biomedical & Health Science
- Honorable Mention: Sequoya Ke
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, Software & Technology
- 2nd place: Nejan Liyanage
- Physics & Astronomy
- 1st place: Sydney Chen
- 2nd place: Mason Garcia
- Honorable Mention: Marybeth Kelsey
- Plant Science
Category Awards – Senior Division
- Behavioral & Social Science:
- Honorable Mention: Linus Plohr
- Earth & Environmental
- Honorable Mention: Lilia Viteva
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, & System Software
- 3rd Place: Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch
- Physics & Astronomy
Grand Awards
- ISEF finalist 3rd place: Tate Plohr
- Brandon Keller received the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000. James Jungans and Marybeth Kelsey garnered Thermo Fisher Awards.
Other special award winners include:
- CO2 & Greenhouse Reduction Awards (Junior Division)
- Daniel Yampolsky, 2nd place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Sequoya Ke, 1st place, Biomedical & Health Science
- Brandon Keller, 1st place, Energy & Materials Science
- Andrew Gilbertson, 1st place, Physics & Astronomy
- CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Reduction Award (Senior Division)
- Lilia Viteva, 1st place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Office of Naval Research Award
- David Shortess Award
- New Mexico AVS Award
- Citadel Award
- Naval Research Award
- NM Network for Women in Science & Engineering Award
- Yale Science & Engineering Award
- Rose Baca Rivet Award
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