• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.191-200
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• 2014

Gas hydrates play a significant role in the global carbon cycle and climate change because methane, a greenhouse gas, can be released from the dissociation of gas hydrate. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is an important process that consumes more than 90% of the methane released into the hydrosphere and atmosphere. In this study, the microbial community associated with the methane gas hydrate sediment in the Ulleung basin, East Sea of Korea (UBGH) was analyzed by phylogenetic analysis of the mcrA and 16S rRNA gene libraries. A vertical stratification of the dominating anaerobic methane oxidizer (ANME)-1 group was observed at the surface and the sulfate methane transition zone (SMTZ). The ANME-2c group was found to be dominant in the high methane layer. The archaea of marine benthic group B, which is commonly observed in the AOM region, accounted for more than 50% of the identifications in all sediments. Nitrate reducing bacteria were predominant at SMTZ (Halomonas: 56.5%) and high methane layer (Achromobacter: 52.6%), while sulfate reducing bacteria were not found in UBGH sediments. These results suggest that the AOM process may be carried out by a syntrophic consortium of ANME and nitrate reducing bacteria in the gas hydrates of the Ulleung Basin of the East Sea.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2011

Removal of dissolved uranium by D. baculatum, a sulfate-reducing bacterium, and effects of trace metals such as manganese, copper, nickel, and cobalt were investigated. Total concentrations of dissolved uranium and trace metals were used by $50\;{\mu}M$ and $200\;{\mu}M$, respectively. Most dissolved uranium decreased up to a non-detectable level (< 10 ppb) MS during the experiments. Most of the heavy metals did nearly not affect the bioremoval rates and amounts of uranium, but copper restrained microbial activity. However, it is found that dissolved uranium rapidly decreased after 2 weeks, showing that the bacteria can overcome the copper toxicity and remove the uranium. It is observed that nickel and cobalt were readily coprecipitated with biogenic mackinawite.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2008

The diversity of sulfate reducing bacteria was investigated in different depths of sediments in Lake Sihwa, Korea and Lake Aha, China by PCR amplification, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone libraries targeting dissimilatory sulfite redectase (dsr) gene. In the analysis of DGGE band patterns, the community compositions of dsr gene in the sediments of both lakes were significantly different whereas bands in all depths of each environment revealed similar patterns. Bands from Lake Sihwa were produced much more than those from Lake Aha, demonstrating a higher diversity of dsr gene in Lake Sihwa. Total 68 clones containing dsr gene were obtained to analyze their sequences. Sequences from the sediment of Lake Sihwa were affiliated to Deltaproteobacteria, the Gram-positive thermophilic sulfate reducers belonging to the genus Desulforomaculum and archaeal thermophilic SRB belonging to the genus Archaeoglobus, whereas sequences from the sediments of Lake Aha were related to genus Desulfotomaculum. Clones retrieved from sediment of Lake Sihwa revealed a higher numbers than those of Lake Aha, demonstrating a higher diversity of dsr gene in Lake Sihwa. Most of clones (59%) were distantly related to the known cultivated SRB with $60\sim65%$ of similarity, which were clustered only the sequences from the environments showed less than 90% similarity. These habitat specific sequences suggested that the clustered dsr sequences represent species or groups of species that were indigenous to these environments. This study showed that these lakes have a specific bacterial communities having dsr gene distinct from those in other environments such as soil and marine ecosystems around the world.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.575-585
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• 2007

Microbial control of the geochemical behavior of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) and As in contaminated subsurface soil and sediment was investigated through activation of indigenous bacteria with lactate under anaerobic condition for 25 days. The results indicated that dissolved Cd, Pb and Zn were microbially removed from solutions, which was likely due to the formation of metal sulfides after reduction of sulfate by indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria. Soils from the Dukeum mine containing a large amount of sulfate resulted in complete removal of dissolved As after 25 days by microbial activities, while there were gradual increases in dissolved As concentration in soils from the Hwabuk mine and sediments from the Dongducheon industrial area which showed low $SO_4{^2-}$ concentrations. Addition of appropriate carbon sources and sulfate to contaminated geological media may lead to activation of indigenous bacteria and thus in situ stabilization of the heavy metals; however, potential of As release into solution after the amendment should be preferentially investigated.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2008

The application of constructed subsurface-flow wetlands for treatment of wastewater from abandoned mines is being increased. Crushed limestone, oak chips, and mushroom composites are often employed in a bulk form, as the substrates in the bed media. Efficiency of the subsurface-flow treatment system drops with time as the hydraulic conductivity of the wetland soil decreases significantly, presumably due to chemical reactions with the wastewater. The purpose of this study is to investigate the applicability of immobilized beads carrying sulfate reducing bacteria for acid mine drainage treatment system. The ingredients of immobilized beads are organic materials such as mushroom composite and oak chips, limestone powder for a pH buffer, mixed with a modified Coleville Synthetic Brine. It was found that immobilized beads are more efficient than the bulk form for pH recovery, sulfate and heavy metal removal.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.254-260
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• 2014

Sulfur compound includes major electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration. In this study, cultivation-based study on sulfate- and sulfur-reducing bacteria of various wetlands of Korea was attempted. To isolate sulfate- and sulfur-reducing bacteria, anaerobic roll tube method was used to obtain typical black colonies of sulfate- and sulfur-reducing bacteria. Total 11 strains obtained were tentatively identified based on comparative 16S rDNA similarity and physiological property analysis. All sulfate-reducing bacteria (8 strains) belonged to genus Desulfovibrio with >99% 16S rDNA similarities. Three sulfur reducing bacteria were also isolated: two and one isolates were affiliated with Sulfurospirillum and Desulfitobacterium, respectively. These sulfate- and sulfur-reducing bacteria were able to utilize lactate and pyruvate and sulfite and thiosulfate as common electron donors and electron acceptors, respectively. This case study will provide fundamental information for obtaining useful indigenous sulfate- and sulfur-reducing bacteria from Korean wetlands employing various combinations of cultivation conditions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.233-235
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• 1992

The number of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in some of the tributaries to the Han River was determined by the most probable number method using Postgate's Medium E.Higher number of SRB were obtained in the streams to which industrial waste water is discharged than those receiving only domestic waste water.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2015

To elucidate the microbial consortia responsible for the anaerobic methane oxidation in the methane hydrate bearing sediments, we compared the geochemical constituents of the sediment, the rate of sulfate reduction, and microbial biomass and diversity using an analysis of functional genes associated with the anaerobic methane oxidation and sulfate reduction between chimney site (UBGH2-3) on the continental slope and non-chimney site (UBGH2-10) on the basin of the Ulleung Basin. From the vertical profiles of geochemical constituents, sulfate and methane transition zone (SMTZ) was clearly defined between 0.5 and 1.5 mbsf (meters below seafloor) in the UBGH2-3, and between 6 and 7 mbsf at the UBGH2-10. At the UBGH2-3, the sulfate reduction rate (SRR) in the SMTZ exhibited was appeared to be $1.82nmol\;cm^{-3}d^{-1}$ at the depth of 1.15 mbsf. The SRR in the UBHG2-10 showed a highest value ($4.29nmol\;cm^{-3}d^{-1}$) at the SMTZ. The 16S rRNA gene copy numbers of total Prokaryotes, mcrA, (methyl coenzyme M reductase subunit A), and dsrA (dissimilatory sulfite reductase subunit A) showed the peaks in the SMTZ at both sites, but the maximum mcrA gene copy number of the UBGH2-10 appeared below the SMTZ (9.8 mbsf). ANME-1 was a predominant ANME (Anaerobic MEthanotroph) group in both SMTZs of the UBGH2-3 and -10. However, The sequences of ANME-2 were detected only at 2.2 mbsf of the UBGH2-3 where high methane flux was observed because of massive amount of gas hydrate at shallow depth. And Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus (DSS) that is associated with ANME-2 was detected in 2.2 mbsf of the UBHG2-3. Overall results demonstrate that ANME-1 and ANME-2 are considered as significant archaeal groups related to methane cycle in the subsurface sediment of the East Sea, and ANME-2/DSS consortia might be more responsible for methane oxidation in the methane seeping region than in non-seeping region.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.8-20
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• 1990

A series of pore water data were obtained during the different time over one year period between October 1987 and October 1988, from a site on a muddy intertidal flat, located in the Kyeong-gi Bay, west coast of Korea, The results have revealed that the tidal flat is an environment of active nutrient the subface supplied by the overlying seawater is almost completely removed from the pore water at depth of about 10 cm below the sediment surface. The nutrients such as ammonium and phosphate are produced through this process and subsequently accumulated in the pore water forming steep gradients near the sediment surface. Below the main sulfate redirection zone, a secondary peak of dissolved sulfate was often observed. Greal seasonal variation of the pore water nutrient profiles was observed, which was particularly clear in their maximum concentration as well as in their concentration gradient. The rate constants of sulfate reduction and nutrient regeneration, estimated by using a diagenetic model (Berner, 1980), differ by an order of magnitude between the summer and winter seasons. The difference in sediment temperature may account for most of the calculated variation. The C:N:P ratio, calculated from the pore water nutrient gradients also exhibits a slight seasonal difference. The organic matter being decomposed by sulfate reduction appears to be depleted in depleted in nitrogen, compared to the average marine organic matter.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.25-34
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• 1999

The effects of copper on the anaerobic degradation of propionate were studied using anaerobic batch reactors. The apparent inhibitory effects of copper on the anaerobic degradation of propionate could be observed from behaviors of intermediates, ultimate methane yield(UMY) and specific methanogenic activity(SMA) There was little inhibition at the concentration of $2.5mg\;Cu^{2+}/L$. Beyond this concentration, the inhibitory effects increased with increasing dose of coppers. The 50% inhibition of UMY and SMA occurred at copper dosage of 33.8 and $24.1mg\;Cu^{2+}/gVSS$, respectively. The inhibitory effect based on the UMY was gradually reduced with the operation time dueprobably to the acclimation of microorganisms and/or binding of the added copper by ligands(and possibly ion exchange sites)contained on the cell membrane and extracellular polymer matrix whereas it based on the SMA might exclude the this phenomena. Therefore, the methodology for interpretation of inhibition data based on the SMA was more accurated than the UMY. There was no inhibitory effect in batch reactors supplemented with sulfate due to an antagonistic action of the sulfate reducing bacteria. Propionate degradation was initially retarded for copper inhibited samples but it gradually degraded afterward. Based on the mass removal considering take into account the propionate to acetate conversion, propionate degradation may appeal more affected than acetate. This result revealed that the hydrogenotrophic methanogens were the most affected by copper.