• 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.23 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2010

Removal and mineralization of dissolved uranium by bacteria in KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel), Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) was investigated. Two different bacteria, IRB (iron-reducing bacteria) and SRB (sulfate-reducing bacteria) was used, and minerals formed by these bacteria were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Compared to uranyl ions, ferric ions were preferentially reduced by IRB, showing that there is no significant reduction and removal of uranium. However, uranium concentration considerably decreased by addition of Mn(II). Results show that a sulfide mineral such as mackinawite (FeS) is formed by SRB respiration through combination of Fe(II) and S without manganese sulfide formation. In the presence of Mn(II), however, uranium is removed effectively, suggesting that the sorption and incorporation of uranium could be affected by Mn(II) onto the sulide minerals.

• 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.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.38-48
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• 2004

Natural attenuation of petroleum hydrocarbon was investigated at an industrial complex about 45 Km away from Seoul. The three-years monitoring results indicated that the concentrations of DO, nitrate, and sulfate in the contaminated area were significantly lower than the background monitoring groundwater under the non-contaminated area. The results also showed a higher ferrous iron concentration, a lower redox potential, and a higher (neutral) pH in the contaminated groundwater, suggesting that biodegradation of TEX(Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene) is the major on-going process in the contaminated area. Groundwater in the contaminated area is anaerobic, and sulfate reduction is the dominant terminal electron accepting process in the area. The total attenuation rate was about 0.0017∼0.0224day$^{-1}$ and the estimated first-order degradation rate constant(λ) was 0.0008∼0.0106day$^{-1}$ . However, the reduction of TEX concentration in the groundwater was resulted from not only biodegradation but also dilution and reaeration through recharge of uncotaminated surface and groundwater. The natural attenuation was, therefore, found to be an effective, on-going remedial process at the site.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.843-853
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• 2009

The sediment samples were collected from Seonakdong River and were analyzed for sulfide species such Acid Volatile Sulfide(AVS) and Elemental Sulfur(ES) and Chromium Reducible Sulfide(CRS). Then characteristics of the formation of sulfide species were investigated for six selected samples. Finally the relationship between environmental factors and sulfate reducing rate(SRR) was investigated using two selected samples. Concentrations of AVS and CRS were relatively high, which suggests that organics input to the sediments has been continued until recently and that potential of heavy metals leaching from the sediments is low. SRR in the sediments was closely related to fraction of fine particles(silt+clay) and also to dissolved organic carbon content of the sediment(DOCsed). The dependences of environmental factors such as organic content, temperature, sulfate concentration on the SRR was relatively strong in the selected experiments conducted with the samples from Noksan gate and Daejeo gate samples. The environmental factor dependencies were stronger in the Noksan gate samples than in the Daejeo gate samples, which is probably due to higher surface area of the Noksan gate sediments.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.53-56
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• 2003

폐광석에 함유되어 있는 중금속 원소는 물리ㆍ화학적 환경의 변화에 따라서 안정화 되어 자연적으로 정화가 진행되거나 혹은 재 용출될 수 있어 중요한 오염원으로 작용할 수 있다. 따라서 폐광석에 함유된 중금속이 흡착된 상태로 존재하는지, 광물형태(탄산염광물, 산화광물, 황산염광물 및 황화광물)로 존재하는지, 산화환경 혹은 환원환경에서 안정한 다른 광물의 결정 내에 치환된 형태로 존재하는 지를 규명하는 것은 물리화학적 환경변화에 따른 중금속의 거동(흡착반응, 탈착반응, 용해반응, 침전반응)을 예측할 수 있는 매우 유용한 평가 방법이라고 할 수 있다. (중략)

• 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.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.9-18
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• 2003

Sampling of waters from each stage of treatment system (Successive Alkalinity Producing System; SAPS), tailings seepage, and spring near the Hanchang coal mine of Kangwon Province were carried out seasonally and analyzed to evaluate the source and possible path of groundwater contamination by acid mine drainage (AM). Sulfur isotope compositions were measured to identify the origin of groundwater contaminations and the sulfate reduction processes in the SAPS. Low pH and high metal concentration of spring water indicates possibility of the groundwater contamination by AMD. Removal efficiency of acidity of the SAPS was 18.17 g/$\textrm{m}^2$/day on an average and the metal removal efficiency was almost 100%, which was higher than those of other treatment systems. However, no appreciable decrease of sulfur content and almost similar sulfur isotope compositions of water from each stage of the treatment system may suggest incomplete or very poor sulfate reduction by sulfate reducing bacteria. Chemical and sulfur isotope compositions showed that spring water was contaminated by seepage from mine tailings. And seepage of stonewall, a part of treatment system was affected by both tailings seepage and mine adit drainage. In this study site, the treatment system was constructed for the only AMD from mine adit not for tailings seepages, which resulted in the groundwater contamination from tailing seepages. Similar situation is expected in other abandoned coal mine areas.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.645-652
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• 1997

Electrochemical characteristics and kinetic parameters of copper ion reduction were investigated with a platinum rotating disk electrode (RDE) in a diffusion controlled region. Reduction of Cu(II) in sulfate had one-step two-xelectron process, while the reduction of Cu(II) in chloride solution was involved two one-electron processes. The transfer coefficient of Cu(II) in sulfate solution was lowest, and the transfer coefficient of Cu(I) in halide solutions had the value of nearly one. In chloride solutions, electrodeposition rate of Cu(II) was about one hundred times faster than Cu(I). Diffusion coefficient increased in the order of Cu(II) in chloride solution, Cu(I) in the iodide, bromide, chloride solution, Cu(II) in sulfate solution. The calculated ionic radii and activation energy for diffusion decreased in the same order as above. Morphological study on the copper electrodeposition indicated that the electrode surface became rougher as both concentration and reduction potential increases, and the roughness of the surface was analyzed with UV/VIS spectrophotometer.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.415-423
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• 1996

Hydrogen reduction technique was used to form the nickel layer onto alumina powders in nickel sulfate solutions. The reduction rate and precipitation states of nickel ions were investigated at various experimental conditions such as hydrogen pressure, temperature, $PdCl_{2}$ addition, particle size, and so on. Uniformly nickel coated alumina composite powders were obtained at such condition as reduction temperature of $165^{\circ}C$, hydrogen pressure of 300 psi, and $PdCl_{2}$ amount of $2\;mg/\ell$.