• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.607-612
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• 2013

Soil ecological risk assessment requires terrestrial toxicity data based on trophic levels including plants, earthworms, nematodes, and springtails. To expand the trophic levels, it is needed to consider primary producer algae, nearly distributed in terrestrial environment, as representative terrestrial test species. In this study, we collected research cases focused on soil-related test species and exposure media from SCI papers, and analyzed exposure media, test species, test chemicals, and other test methods, for reviewing research trends of soil-related algal toxicity. Up to now, in the soil-related algal toxicity, test species were 8 cases (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus bijugatus, Chlorococcum infusionum, Scenedesmus subspicatus, Nostoc linckia, Synechococcus elongatus, and Chlorococcum sp.) and endpoints were cell count or photosynthetic pigment content. Also, 5 of exposure media were liquid medium, soil extracts, porewater, agar medium, and soil. Most of papers used algae isolated from natural soils or soil extracts. There were only one case for assessing algal toxicity in soil medium. More researches regarding algal toxicity in soil environments need to be conducted consistently.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2023

Algal organic matters (AOMs) are challenging to remove using traditional water treatment methods. Additionally, they are recognized as disinfection by product (DBP) precursors during the chlorination process. These compounds have the potential to seriously harm aquatic creatures. Despite the fact that AOMs and DBPs formed from algae can harm aquatic species by impairing their cognitive function and causing behavioral problems, only a few studies on the effects of AOMs and associated DBPs have been conducted. To assess the impact of extracellular organic materials (EOMs) produced by three different hazardous algal species and the chlorinated EOMs on zebrafish, this study used fish acute embryo toxicity (FET) and cognitive function tests. With rising EOM concentrations, the embryo's survival rate and mental capacity both declined. Of the three algal species, the embryo exposed to Microcystis aeruginosa EOM exhibited the lowest survival rate. On the other hand, the embryo exposed to EOMs following chlorination demonstrated a drop in CT values in both the survival rate and cognitive ability. These findings imply that EOMs and EOMs treated with chlorine may have detrimental effects on aquatic life. Therefore, an effective EOM management is needed in aquatic environment.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2023

Harmful algae blooms have become a serious environmental problem in major river basins in Korea. They are known to produce various algal organic matters (AOMs) including intracellular organic matters (IOMs) and extracellular organic matters (EOMs). Generally AOMs cannot be easily removed by coagulation/flocculation process in conventional drinking water plants. AOMs produced by blue-green algae also include various toxins such as Microcystins, Anatoxin-a, and Saxitoxin known to have harmful effects on living organisms in aquatic environment. In this study, toxic effects of EOMs produced by three different algae species (Microcystis sp., Anabaena sp., and Oscillatoria sp.) on zebrafish were investigated using electroencephalography (EEG) recording method, a technology for recording brain activity. Electroencephalographic changes in zebrafish revealed that a low EOM had a negative effect on zebrafish compared to both Anabaena sp. and Oscillatoria sp. at 30 ppm EOM exposures. This result might be due to Microcystins present in EOMs produced by Microcystis sp. As a result of power spectrum density anallysis, exposure to EOMs produced by Microcystis sp. caused a state of vigilance in zebrafish. This EEG based toxicity test can be used to examine effects of harmful materials at low levels on living organisms in an aquatic system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.651-659
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• 2003

A new method was proposed to control Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) by a biosurfactant sophorolipid. The effect of sophorolipid on the growth, motility, precipitation, and recovery of algal cells was investigated for four common HAB species, Scripsiella trochoidea, Prorocentrum minimum, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, and Heterosigma akashiwo. The motility and growth of algal cells were inhibited significantly at the concentration of 20 and 5 mg/l sophorolipid, respectively, and no recovery was observed under the above concentrations. The concentration of 20 mg/l sophorolipid was considered to be an effective concentration for the mitigation of HABs. A sedimentation test suggested that the maximum precipitation occurred at the end of 1 h, and the algicidal effect of sophorolipid was observed by a microscope. Comparative study showed that sophorolipid had marked algicidal capability. Analysis on biodegradability, toxicity, and cost effectiveness further demonstrated the potential of sophorolipid in future HABs mitigation.

• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2014

The biocide sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is widely used for controlling algal growth, and this application can be extended to marine environments as well. This study evaluates the biocidal efficiency and cellular toxicity of NaOCl on the harmful dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides, with emphasis on pigment production and antioxidant enzyme activity. The test organism showed dose-dependent decrease in growth rate on exposure to NaOCl, and the 72 h $EC_{50}$ was measured to be $0.584mg\;L^{-1}$. NaOCl significantly decreased pigment levels and chlorophyll autofluorescence intensity, indicating possible detrimental effects on the photosystem of C. polykrikoides. Moreover, it significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes, suggesting the production of reactive oxygen species in the cells. These data indicate that NaOCl exerted deleterious effects on the photosynthetic machinery and induced oxidative damage in the dinoflagellate and this biocide could be effectively used for the control of algal blooms.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2001

The effects of CellCaSi and bioflocculant on the control of algal bloom were investigated in enclosures in a small eutrophic pond. The bioflocculant produced by a bacterial strain S-2 was finally selected to remove Microcystis aeruginosa which was a dominant species of algal bloom in the pond. Enclosure experiment showed that phosphorus concentration decreased dramatically from $131\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$ (Control) to $1-14\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$ in three CellCaSi-enriched enclosures. Chlorophyll $-\alpha$ concentration also decreased from $215\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$ (Control) to $59\mu{g}\ell^{-1}$ by the addition of CellCaSi $(1g\ell^{-1}$, bioflocculant $(2ml\ell^{-1}$, calcium chloride $(1g\ell^{-1}$ and ferric chloride $(2mg\;Fe\ell^{-1})$ in Enclosure 4. From the results of the mouse acute toxicity test of the S-2 bioflocculant and the goldfish survival test in enclosures, it seems that both the S-2 bioflocculant and the CellCaSi do not show any severe toxicity in water system. Consequently, it was concluded that the bioflocculant and the CellCaSi could be used to control algal bloom in eutrophic waters by removing phosphorus and chlorophyll$-\alpha$.

• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 2017

Although green algae of the genus Closterium are considered ideal models for testing toxicity in aquatic ecosystems, little data about the effects of toxicity on these algal species is currently available. Here, Closterium ehrenbergii was used to assess the acute toxicity of copper (Cu). The median effective concentration ($EC_{50}$) of copper sulfate based on a dose response curve was $0.202mg\;L^{-1}$, and reductions in photosynthetic efficiency ($F_v/F_m$ ratio) of cells were observed in cultures exposed to Cu for 6 h, with efficiency significantly reduced after 48 h (p < 0.01). In addition, production of reactive oxygen species significantly increased over time (p < 0.01), leading to damage to intracellular organelles. Our results indicate that Cu induces oxidative stress in cellular metabolic processes and causes severe physiological damage within C. ehrenbergii cells, and even cell death; moreover, they clearly suggest that C. ehrenbergii represents a potentially powerful test model for use in aquatic toxicity assessments.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.11 no.8
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• pp.65-71
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• 2010

In this study, we have evaluated biodegradability of diesel-oxygenates including DBM and gasoline-oxygenates having similar physio-chemical properties using indigenous aerobic microorganisms from a diesel-contaminated soil. Toluene and Ethanol have shown higher biological activity and the first-order degradation rate constants ranged around $0.11{\sim}0.3day^{-1}$. However, MTBE, gasoline-oxygenate has shown as a limited substrate. Moreover, As increased initial concentrations of DBM and TGME, degradation rates of those were decreased relatively. As a strategy to evaluate biodegradability of DBM and TGME, reduction of diesel-oxygenates, $CO_2$ production and toxicity by algae were monitored. This results indicated possible mineralization of diesel-oxygenates, But we could predict that residual byproduct produced even though complete consumption of diesel-oxygenates were observed if algal toxicity variation considered. In conclusion, it is the first report that diesel-oxygenates including DBM could be biodegraded effectively by indigenous soil microorganisms and this result increased the possibility of bioremediation technology to apply into oil-contaminated sites.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.23-41
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• 2002

In this paper, changes of the coliform bacteria were investigated when aquatic plant pond was used for separating algal particles from waste stabilization ponds(WSPs). Three different types of integrated natural systems were operated. It was found that there were no significant interferences for the disinfection efficiency of two integrated systems (WSPs coupled with water hyacinth ponds) used for treating domestic sewage and upgrading the secondary effluent as well. However, when constructed wetland (CW) was combined with the shallow algal ponds and used for the secondary effluent, it seriously interfered with the disinfection efficiency due to the regrowth and/or after-growth of the coliform bacteria, which can readily metabolize the amino acids and sugars leached from plants. In order to find out the primary disinfection parameters, several sets of the batch test were run. It was found that sunlight is the most predominant factor for the coliform decay. During the night, algal toxicity partly supports the decay but during the day, deteriorates it by attenuating the sunlight. The pH in the range of 4 to 10 did not affect the decay in the dark.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.298-310
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• 2021

Prediction of the behavior of heavy metals over time is important to evaluate the heavy metal toxicity in algae species. Various modeling studies have been well established, but there is a need for an improved model for predicting the chronic effects of metals on algae species to combine the metal kinetics and biological response of algal cells. In this study, a kinetic dynamics model was developed to predict the copper behavior(5 ㎍ L^-1, 10 ㎍ L^-1, and 15 ㎍ L^-1) for two freshwater algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Chlorella vulgaris) in the chronic exposure experiments (8 d and 21 d). In the experimental observations, the rapid change in copper mass between the solutions, extracellular and intracellular sites occurred within initial exposure periods, and then it was slower although the algal density changed with time. Our model showed a good agreement with the measured copper mass in each part for all tested conditions with an elapsed time (R² for P. subcapitata: 0.928, R² for C. vulgaris: 0.943). This study provides a novel kinetic dynamics model that is compromised between practical simplicity and realistic complexity, and it can be used to investigate the chronic effects of heavy metals on the algal population.