• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2023

Variations in geochemical and mineralogical properties of the ferromanganese(Fe-Mn) crust reflect environmental changes. In the present study, geochemical and mineralogical analyses, including micro X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction, were utilized to reconstruct the paleo-ocean environment of western Pacific Magellan seamount cluster. Samples of the Fe-Mn crust were collected using an epibenthic sledge from the open seamount XX (151° 51.12' 7.2" E and 16° 8.16' 9.6" N, 1557 meters below sea level) in the Western Pacific Magellan Seamount. According to the structure and phosphating status, the Fe-Mn crust of the OSM-XX can be divided into the following: phosphatizated (L4-L5), massive non-phosphatizated (L3), and porous non-phosphatizated (L1-L2) portions. All ferromanganese layers contain vernadite, and owing to the presence of carbonate fluorapatite (CFA), the phosphatizated portion (L4-L5) is rich in Ca and P. The massive non-phosphatizated section (L3) contains high Mn, Ni, and Co, whereas the porous non-phosphatizated portion (L1-L2), which comprises detrital quartz and feldspar, is rich in Fe. Variations in properties of the Fe-Mn crust from the OSM-XX reflect changes in the nearby marine environment. The formation of this crust started at approximately 51.87 Ma, and precipitation of the CFA during the global phosphatization event that occurred at approximately 36-32 Ma highlights an elevated sea level and low temperature during the associated period. The high Mn, Ni, and Co concentrations and elevated Mn/Fe ratios of samples from the massive phosphatizated portion indicate that the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) was enhanced, and reducing conditions prevailed during the crust formation. The high Fe and low Mn/Fe ratios in the porous portion indicate a weak OMZ and dominantly oxidizing conditions. These data reflect environmental changes following the end of the Mi-1 glacial period in the Miocene-Oligocene boundary. Subsequently, Mn/Fe and Co/Mn ratios increased slightly in the outermost part of Fe-Mn crust because of the enhanced bottom current and OMZ associated with the continued cooling from approximately 9 Ma. However, the reduced carbonate dissolution rate in the Pacific Ocean from approximately 6 Ma decreased the growth rate of the Fe-Mn crust.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.358-364
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• 1989

A crystalline alkaline pretense- producing Streptomyce sp. YSA-130 was isolated from soil in alkaline medium(pH 10.5). The optimum culture condition of Streptomyce sp. YSA-130 for the production of alkaline protease was as follows; 2.0% soluble starch, 1.0% soytone, 0.3% $K_2$HPO$_4$, 0.02% MgSO$_4$.7$H_2O$, 0.8% Na$_2$CO$_3$, pH 10.5, 3$0^{\circ}C$, and 12 hr. The alkaline pretense from the culture broth of Streptomyce sp. YSA-130 was purified about 24 folds by ammonium sulfate precipitation , dialysis, DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration on Sephadex G-15 and crystallization. Optimum temperature and pH of purified enzyme were 6$0^{\circ}C$, and 11.5. Temperature and pH stability of purified enzyme were 5$0^{\circ}C$, and 5.5-12.0. Calcium ion was effective to stabilize the enzyme at higher temperature. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was approximately 30,000. The purified enzyme was inactivated by diisopropyl flurophosphate(DFP) but not affected by metal ion, EDTA, sulfhydryl reagent and stable detergent.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.207-211
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• 2003

Extracellular protease, from Aeromonas hydrophila Ni 39, was purified 16.7-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity with an overall yield of 19.9％, through a purification procedure of acetone precipitation, and Q Sepharose and Sephacryl S-200 chromatographies. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 6.0 and the molecular mass, as determined by Sephacryl S-200 HR chromatography, was found to be about 102 kDa. SDS/PAGE revealed that the enzyme consisted of two subunits, with molecular masses of 65.9 kDa. Under standard assay conditions, the apparent $K_{m}$ value of the enzyme toward casein was 0.32 mg/ml. About 90％ of the proteolytic activity remained after heating at 60$^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. The highest rate of azocasein hydrolysis for the enzyme was reached at 60$^{\circ}C$, and the optimum pH of the enzyme was 9.0. The enzyme was inhibited by the serine protease inhibitor, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), by about 87.9％, but not by E64, EDTA, pepstatin or 1,10-phenanthroline. The enzyme activity was inhibited slightly by Ca$\^$2＋/, Mg$\^$2＋/ and Zn/supb 2＋/ ions.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.230-236
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• 1993

The isocitrate lyase extracted from Micrococcus luteus was purified 38.8 folds with the overall yield of 10.2%, by the ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose, 1st Sephadex G-200 and 2nd Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The purified enzyme showed to be a single protein band by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated 60,000 by the SDS-polyacry]amide gel electrophoresis. The apparent Michaelis constant, Km value for isocitrate was 0.95 mM. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified enzyme were pH 7.5 and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme was activated by $Mg^{2+}$ and inhibited by $Mn^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$ and $CO^{2+}$. In addition, the activity of isocitrate lyase was increased by glutathione and 2-mercaptocthanol at 5 mM and cysteine at I mM.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.41-51
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• 2017

Microbial processes that bind heavy metals and form minerals are widespread, and they represent a basic aspect of biogeochemistry. Some microorganisms can crystallize minerals by secreting a specific enzyme. In particular, calcite ($CaCO_3$) precipitation is an important part of biomineralization, and has been studied extensively because of its wide application in civil engineering technology. This process provides an effective way to stabilize heavy metals within a relatively stable crystal phase. In this study, biomineralization of calcite by three urea-hydrolyzing indigenous bacterial strains was investigated by microbiological analyses. Three bacterial strains were isolated from the sludge of B mine in Mexico and each bacterial strain was identified by the cellular fatty acid composition and 16S rRNA partial sequencing analysis. The results of the identification analysis showed that these strains were closest to Sporosarcina pasteurii, Kurthia gibsonii, and Paenibacillus polymyxa. We found that the optimum conditions for growth of these indigenous bacteria were $30-40^{\circ}C$ and pH range of 7-8. Microbiological analyses showed the possibility that the bioaccumulated heavy metals ions were deposited around the cell as crystalline carbonate minerals under the optimum conditions. The findings of our study suggest that the indigenous bacterial strains play an important role in heavy metal immobilization.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.56-64
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• 2015

Acid mine drainage occurrence is a serious environmental problem by mining industry, it usually contains high levels of metal ions, such as iron, copper, zinc, aluminum, and manganese, as well as metalloids of which arsenic is generally of the greatest concern. An indigenous plant extract was used to produce calcium carbonate from Canavalia ensiformis as effective biomaterial, and its ability to form the calcium carbonate under stable conditions was compared to that of purified urease. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were employed to elucidate the mechanism of calcium carbonate formation from the crude plant extracts. The results revealed that urease in the plant extracts catalyzed the hydrolysis of urea in liquid state cultures and decreased heavy metal amounts in the contaminated soil. The heavy metal amounts were decreased in the leachate from the treated mine soil; 31.7% of As, 65.8% of Mn, 50.6% of Zn, 51.6% of Pb, 45.1% of Cr, and 49.7% of Cu, respectively. The procedure described herein is a simple and beneficial method of calcium carbonate biomineralization without cultivation of microorganisms or further purification of crude extracts. This study suggests that crude plant extracts of Canavalia ensiformis have the potential to be used in place of purified forms of the enzyme during remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.603-618
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• 2023

This study focused on evaluating the suitability of the WRK (waste repository Korea) bentonite as a buffer material in the SNF (spent nuclear fuel) repository. The U (uranium) adsorption/desorption characteristics and the adsorption mechanisms of the WRK bentonite were presented through various analyses, adsorption/desorption experiments, and kinetic adsorption modeling at various pH conditions. Mineralogical and structural analyses supported that the major mineral of the WRK bentonite is the Ca-montmorillonite having the great possibility for the U adsorption. From results of the U adsorption/desorption experiments (intial U concentration: 1 mg/L) for the WRK bentonite, despite the low ratio of the WRK bentonite/U (2 g/L), high U adsorption efficiency (>74%) and low U desorption rate (<14%) were acquired at pH 5, 6, 10, and 11 in solution, supporting that the WRK bentonite can be used as the buffer material preventing the U migration in the SNF repository. Relatively low U adsorption efficiency (<45%) for the WRK bentonite was acquired at pH 3 and 7 because the U exists as various species in solution depending on pH and thus its U adsorption mechanisms are different due to the U speciation. Based on experimental results and previous studies, the main U adsorption mechanisms of the WRK bentonite were understood in viewpoint of the chemical adsorption. At the acid conditions (＜pH 3), the U is apt to adsorb as forms of UO₂²⁺, mainly due to the ionic bond with Si-O or Al-O(OH) present on the WRK bentonite rather than the ion exchange with Ca²⁺ among layers of the WRK bentonite, showing the relatively low U adsorption efficiency. At the alkaline conditions (>pH 7), the U could be adsorbed in the form of anionic U-hydroxy complexes (UO₂(OH)₃^-, UO₂(OH)₄^2-, (UO₂)₃(OH)₇^-, etc.), mainly by bonding with oxygen (O^-) from Si-O or Al-O(OH) on the WRK bentonite or by co-precipitation in the form of hydroxide, showing the high U adsorption. At pH 7, the relatively low U adsorption efficiency (42%) was acquired in this study and it was due to the existence of the U-carbonates in solution, having relatively high solubility than other U species. The U adsorption efficiency of the WRK bentonite can be increased by maintaining a neutral or highly alkaline condition because of the formation of U-hydroxyl complexes rather than the uranyl ion (UO₂²⁺) in solution,and by restraining the formation of U-carbonate complexes in solution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.625-635
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• 1990

The purpose of this study was focused on investigation of biochemical properties of amylases in germinating corn(Zea mays L.) the amylase(I), (II) and (III) from germinating corn seeds were partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 ion exchange column chromatography and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. The last step was effective for separation of the corn amylases to a homogeneous slate. the purified amylase(I) was identified as a kind of $\alpha$-amylase from the fact that 5％ starch solution was hydrolysed into mainly maltose and maltotetrose by it, and amylase(II) and amylase(III) were enzymes producing maltotetrose as main product. The molecular weight and specific activity of the amylase(I), (II) and (III) were determined to be 54,000 and 70.47 unit/mg, 39,000 and 62.98 unit/mg, and 51,000 and 80.39 unit/mg, respectively. It showed a tendency to increase the amylases activities in presence of Ba, Ca, Co and Fe groups, but inhibits in that of Ag, Sn, Hg and Zn groups, and amylase(I), (II) and (III) remained stable at pH 5-6 and 2$0^{\circ}C$ for 40 days in containing of 1 mM CaCl$_2$. The optimum pH and optimum temperatures were pH 6, pH 5 and pH 6 and 35$^{\circ}C$, 55$^{\circ}C$ and 55$^{\circ}C$, respectively. These results suggest that the amylase(I), (II) and (III) were different amylases.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.377-393
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• 2010

Pumiceous tuffs occurring in the Beomgockri Group are examined applied-mineralogical characteristics and their controling factors to evaluate their potentials as the adsorption-functional mineral resources. The pumiceous tuffs are diagenetically altered to low-grade zeolitcs and bentonites in the Janggi area. Compositional specialty due to the presence of pumice fragments induces the altered tuffs to exhibit the characteristic adsorption property combined with cation exchange capacity, specific surface area, and acidic pH. Unusual lower pH in the adsorption-functional mineral substances is turned out to be originated from the presence of H-smectite having $H^+$ in the interlayer site of the sheet structure. On account of disordered crystallinity resulting from the exchanged $H^+$ in the interlayer site, the smectite commonly forms crenulated edges in the planar crystal form and exhibits characteristic X-ray diffraction patterns showing comparatively lower intensities of basal spacings including (001) peak than conventional Ca-smectite. Based on the interpretation of paragenetic relations and precursor of the H-smectite, a genetic model of the peculiar clay mineral was proposed. The smectite formation may be facilitated resulting from the precipitation of opal-CT at decreasing pH condition caused by the release of H+ during diagenetic alteration of pumice fragments. Because of the acidic smectite, the low-grade mineral resources from the Beomgockri Group may be applicable to the adsorption industry as the raw materials of acid clays and bed-soil.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.313-327
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• 2006

This study investigated the geochernical characteristics of Mn scale formed in groundwater wells at the Damyang area. The composition of Mn scale consists mainly of MnO and $SiO_2$. The content of Mn ranges from56.61wt.% to 68.69wt.%, and $SiO_2$ content ranges from 1.56wt.% to 10.45wt.%. The contents of Mo and Ba in Mn scale increased with increased depth; whereas, the content of Zn and Pb decreased with increased depth. Birnessite, quartz and feldspars were identified in Mn scales using x-ray powder diffraction studies. The IR absorption bands for Mn scales show major absorption band due to OH stretching, adsorbed molecular water, and birnessite stretching, respectively. In the SEM and EDS analysis, the Mn scale consists of botryoidal, spherical, spherulite, and empty straw structure. Those structure may be precipitated simply due to oversaturation with concentrated Mn content or may be formed through biogenic precipitation by Lepthothrix discophora. Under microanalysis using EDS on those structure surface of Mn scales, the Mn atomic percent range from 28 to 44, and such elements revealed the presence of Si, K, Na, Ca, Cl, Cu, Zn, and Ba.