• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2014

The research evaluates the possibility of generating electricity using pyrite containing mine tailings, which are the major cause of acid mine drainage (AMD), by applying iron oxidizing bacteria (in this case, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans) and chemical fuel cell technology. The changes in the aqueous $Fe^{2+}$ concentration, which can represent an ionized form of pyrite, with an initial concentration of 9,000 mg/L were investigated during the 20 d growth period. Both the $Fe^{2+}$ and total iron (i.e., total $Fe^{2+}$)concentrations with or without A. ferrooxidans were observed. The $Fe^{2+}$ concentration decreased to about 6,000 mg/L, in the abiotic condition, while it decreased to about 400 mg/L in the biotic condition. The results showed that the increased $Fe^{2+}$ oxidation in the presence of A. ferrooxidans (i.e., catalytic ability of A. ferrooxidans) can be applied to electricity generation using pyrite containing mine tailings. In the co-presence of A. ferrooxidans and pyrite containing mine tailings, $Fe^{2+}$ oxidation and hence electron production increases, which, in turn, improves current density. This study can be applied to utilize ecological functions of indigenous bacteria in mine areas to enhance electricity generation efficiency.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1070-1075
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• 2008

IscA was proposed to be involved in the iron-sulfur cluster assembly encoded by the iscSUA operon, but the role of IscA in the iron-sulfur cluster assembly still remains controversial. In our previous study, the IscA from A. ferrooxidans was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified to be a [$Fe_4S_4$] -cluster-containing protein. Cys35, Cys99, and Cys101 were important residues in ligating with the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster. In this study, Asp97 was found to be another ligand for the iron-sulfur cluster binding according to site-directed mutagenesis results. Molecular modeling for the IscA also showed that Asp97 was a strong ligand with the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster, which was in good agreement with the experimental results. Thus, the [$Fe_4S_4$] cluster in IscA from A. ferrooxidans was ligated by three cysteine residues and one aspartic acid.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.69-78
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• 1973

In order to investigate the distribution of an iron-oxidizing bacterium, Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans in Korea, the authors had carried out the chemical and microbiological analysis of mine water. The results obtained were as follows : 1. Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans concerned to leaching was isolated from 10 copper mine water out of 46 sites in Korea. 2. As the results of bacterial oxidation, the contents of sulfuric acid, ferric sulphate and copper in the bacteria-bearing solutions were higher than those in bacteria-free solutions.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.124-130
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• 1999

To evaluate the technical of microbial coal desulfurization during the storage in coal dumps, microbial pyrite oxidation in a packed column reactor with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans has been investigated. For microbial desulfurization in a packed reactor system, coal particle size over 1.0 mm with uniform size distribution seems to be most suitable as fas as drainage behavior and accessability of pyrite are concerned. When coal samples of 1∼2 and 2∼4 mm particle size were size were used, about 32∼42% of pyritic sulfur was removed within 70 days. The rate of pyritic sulfur oxidation was in the range of 348∼803 mg S/kg coal ·d, and the sulfur removal rates in packed columns were about 15∼25% of those in suspension cultures. Without any circulation of liquid medium, microbial coal desulfurization could be possible by the inoculation of T. ferrooxidans along on the coal dump. It was concluded that a microbial percolation process is one of possible processes for the desulfurization of high sulfur coal during a long-term storage.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1672-1677
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• 2008

IscR (iron-sulfur cluster regulator) has been reported to be a repressor of the iscRSUA operon, and in vitro transcription reactions have revealed that IscR has a repressive effect on the iscR promoter in the case of [$Fe_{2}S_{2}$] cluster loading. In the present study, the iscR gene from A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 was cloned and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, and then purified by one-step affinity chromatography to homogeneity. The molecular mass of the IscR was 18 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The optical and EPR spectra results for the recombinant IscR confirmed that an iron-sulfur cluster was correctly inserted into the active site of the protein. However, no [$Fe_{2}S_{2}$] cluster was assembled in apoIscR with ferrous iron and sulfide in vitro. Therefore, the [$Fe_{2}S_{2}$] cluster assembly in IscR in vivo would appear to require scaffold proteins and follow the Isc "AUS" pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.124-128
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• 2011

Ferredoxin is a typical iron-sulfur protein that is ubiquitous in biological redox systems. This study investigates the in vitro assembly of a [$Fe_2S_2$] cluster in the ferredoxin from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in the presence of three scaffold proteins: IscA, IscS, and IscU. The spectra and MALDI-TOF MS results for the reconstituted ferredoxin confirm that the iron-sulfur cluster was correctly assembled in the protein. The inactivation of cysteine desulfurase by L-allylglycine completely blocked any [$Fe_2S_2$] cluster assembly in the ferredoxin in E. coli, confirming that cysteine desulfurase is an essential component for iron-sulfur cluster assembly. The present results also provide strong evidence that [$Fe_2S_2$] cluster assembly in ferredoxin follows the AUS pathway.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2005

In order to recover valuable metals from the waste electronic scrap, bioleaching of Cu, Zn, Al, Co, Ni, Sn and Pb was carried out using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans as a leaching microorganism in a shaking flask. In a preliminary study, to obtain the data on the leaching of Cu, Zn, Al, Co and Ni, the metal leaching was accomplished using metal powers instead of electronic scrap. The leaching percentaga of Cu, Zn, Co, Al and Ni powers was reduced with the increase of metal power concentration in solution. Below the metal concentration of 0.5 g/L, more than 85% of Cu, Co and Zn powers was leached out. At the electronic scrap concentration of 100 g/L, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans were able to leach more than 90% of the available Cu and Co while Al, Zn and Ni were able to leach less than 40%. Pb and Sn were not detected in the leachate. Pb was precipitated as PbSO$_4$, whereas Sn precipitated probably as SnO.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.423-426
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• 2002

A novel process for $H_2S$ gas treatment has been introduced, based on the combined action of a chemical absorption step and a biological step involving the biocatalytic activity of the bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The aim of this study is the development of a process for $H_2S$ elimination from gas streams based on that chemical/biological method. The immobilized biomass reactor/chemical adsorption system is suitable for application of the removal of $H_2S$. A double stage reactor was used for the experimental work. The removal efficiencies of over 99% were observed in the range of inlet $H_2S$ concentration from 200 to 1,000ppm. The novel process showed the stable elimination efficiencies of over 95% under the retention time range from 20 to 40sec at the 1,000ppm of $H_2S$ inlet concentration.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1777-1780
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• 2007

The synthesis of well-defined dendrons based on aliphatic polyether dendritic cores and glassy polystyrene peripheries is described. The synthetic route involves a combination of living anionic polymerization and a stepwise convergent method consisting of iterative Williamson etherification and hydroboration/oxidation reactions. On the basis of molecular weight, as characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), the first generation dendron (Generation-1) shows a random coil conformation like a linear polystyrene, while higher generations (Generation-2 and 3) reveal globular forms in solution.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.189-195
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• 1973

With the gradual expansion of copper demands, the utilization of enormous tonnages of waste copper mineral containig up to 0.5% copper becomes available. In order to investigate the possibilities on the application of bacterial leaching method to waste dumps or abandoned mines, the authors had carried out microbial leaching of copper minerals by F.ferrooxidans isolated from the Dalsung copper mine water. The results obtained were as follows : 1. The copper extraction rate from the Dalsung chalcopyrite has been a little accerelated by using flasks in place of percolators. 2. The percentage of copper extracted from the Dalsung chalcopyrite sample was 100% in 30 days in the presence of iron-oxidizing bacteria F.ferrooxidans while 9.27% in the absence of bacteria. 3. F.ferroxidans was capable of producing sufficient quantities of ferric sulfate and sulfuric acid from ferrous iron to bring about the dissolution of 100% of copper from the Dalsung chalcopyrite.