• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.377-389
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• 2018

In this study, a novel microalgal strain, Desmodesmus sp. KAERI-NJ5, was isolated, identified, and evaluated as a candidate for biodiesel feedstock. In a preliminary study, the effects of four general microalgal growth factors, including temperature, pH, light intensity, and concentration of nitrogen source ($KNO_3$), on the microalgal photoautotrophic growth were evaluated. With the exception of light intensity, the growth factors needed to be optimized for the microalgal biomass production. Optimization was done using response surface methodology. The optimal conditions for biomass production were pH 6.54, $27.66^{\circ}C$, and 0.52 g/l $KNO_3$. The biomass production at the optimal conditions was 1.55 g/l, which correlated well with the predicted value of 1.5 g/l. The total lipid and fatty acid methyl ester contents of the cells grown at the optimal conditions were 49% and 21.2% of cell dry weight, respectively. To increase the lipid content of the biomass, microalgae were challenged by nitrogen starvation. Enhancement of total lipid and fatty acid content up to 52.02% and 49%, respectively, were observed. Lipid analysis of the nitrogen-starved cells revealed that C16 and C18 species accounted for 95.9% of the total fatty acids. Among them, palmitic acid (46.17%) and oleic acid (39.43%) dominantly constituted the algal fatty acids. These results suggest Desmodesmus sp. KAERI-NJ5 as a promising feedstock for biodiesel production.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.1 s.106
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• pp.36-46
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• 2004

We evaluated the effect of limiting nutrients and N/P ratio on the growth of phytoplankton in a small eutrophic reservoir from November 2002 to December 2003. Nutrient limitation was investigated seasonally using nutrient enrichment bioassay (NEB). DIN/DTP and TN/TP ratio (by weight) of the reservoir during the study period ranged 17${\sim}$187 and 13${\sim}$60, respectively. Most of nitrogen in the reservoir account for $NO_3$-N, but sharp increase of ammonia was evident during the spring season. Seasonal variation of dissolved inorganic phosphorus concentration was relatively small. DTP ranged 26.5${\sim}$10.1 ${\mu}g\;P\;L^{-1}$, and the highest and lowest concentration was observed in August and December, respectively. Chlorophyll a concentration ranged 28.8${\sim}$109.7 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, and its temporal variation was similar to that of cell density of phytoplankton. Dominant phytoplankton species were Bacillariphyceae (Melosira varians) and Chlorophyceae (Dictyosphaerium puchellum) in Spring (March${\sim}$April). Cyanophyceae, such as Osillatoria spp., Microcystis spp., Aphanizomenon sp. dominated from May to the freezing time. TN/TP ratio ranged from 46 to 13 (Avg. 27${\pm}$6) from June to December when cyanobacteria (Microcystis spp.) dominated. p limitation for algal growth measured in all NEB experiments (17cases), while N limitation occurred in 8 out of 17 cases. The growth rates of phytoplankton slightly increased with decreasing of DIN/DTP ratio. Evident increase was observed in the N/P ratio of > 30, and it was sustained with DTP increase until 50 ${\mu}g\;P\;L^{-1}$. Under the same N/P mass ratio with the different N concentrations (0.07, 0.7and 3.5 mg N $L^{-1}$), Microcystis spp. showed the highest growth rate in the N/P ratio of< 1 with nitrogen concentration of 3.5 mg N $L^{-1}$). The responses of phytoplankton growth to phosphate addition were clearly greater with increase of N concentration. These results indicate that the higher nitrogen concentration in the water likely induce the stronger P-limitation on the phytoplankton growth, while nitrogen deficiency is not likely the case of nutrient limitation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.214-222
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• 2007

This study was conducted to assay the relationship between the characteristics of watershed and water quality, and to evaluate water quality characteristics of the classified types by TSI deviation analysis with the collected data from 490 reservoir. Relatively shallow depth (<5m) reservoirs out of selected 490 appeared to be eutrophic. The mean TP concentration in reservoirs with the PFA+UFA/watershed area of above 30% was ${\geq}0.1$ mg $L^{-1}$. The mean TN concentration in reservoirs with the PFA/watershed area of above 25% was ${\geq}2.6$ mg $L^{-1}$. Based on the TSI deviation analysis, water quality parameters in TYPE III reservoirs were in high concentration compared to other reservoirs types. Characteristics of Type III generally showed eutrophic, small DA/RA ratio, shallow depth, and large paddy field and upland field to watershed ratio compared to other types of reservoirs. Both water quality and morpho-physical parameters, Type I and II reservoirs were similar with the exceptions of BOD and chi. ${\alpha}$ concentration. Phosphorus in Type I reservoirs was not the primary limiting factor on algal growth, but significant decrease chl. ${\alpha}$ concentration with the increasing TN/TP indicated that phosphorus was the possible secondary limiting factor. Overall results indicated that type of land use, such as PFA and UFA area in watershed, was important parameters for the assessment of water quality characteristics, and phosphorus was limiting nutrient on algal growth in 490 reservoirs.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.317-324
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• 2001

We have previously developed three stage methane fermentation system capable of digesting food wastes effectively and then releasing high organic wastewater as a final product. In this study, we tried to devise an ecological water treatment system, which can efficiently remove the nitrogen and phosphorus contained in the organic wastewater. The system was made of microbiological filters, algae, and waterfleas. Of two species of alga tested, Selenastrum capricornutum showed higher growth rate and more efficiently removed the nitrogen from the wastewater than by Chlorella sp. In addition, the highest growth rate and the nitrogen removal efficiency could be obtained when high concentrations of $Mg^{2+}\; and\; Ca^{2+}$ were added to the diluted wastewater and the molar ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus was adjusted to 10 : 1. In this study the population relationship between alga and water flea was also examined in a test tube. The initial number of algal cells decreased as the waterflea population increased. However, the number of algal cells gradually increased again when waterflea population decreased partly due to the environmental resistance. From these results, it was believed that the ecological water treatment system could be used for removing the nitrogen and phosphorus from organic wastewater very effectively. Moreover, the waterflea cultured by this system as a final predator could be used as a good foodstuff for fishes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.288-294
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• 2013

Recently, sustainable production of biofuel using algal biomass is being pursued because of its enormous potential. First and foremost, securing superior strains to develop an efficient production system for algal biodiesel through screening or genetic improvement of microalgae is necessary. The genus of Botryococcus is regarded as one of the superior microalgae for biodiesel production due to its ability to accumulate high amounts of lipids and hydrocarbons. However, its low growth rate is a bottleneck for large-scale production and commercialization. The purpose of this study is to obtain indigenous Botryococcus strains which possess high lipid content and biomass productivity. The Botryococcus sp. was isolated from the Seobu Reservoir in Jeju Island and identified as Botryococcus sudeticus J2 by comparative analysis of 18s rRNA gene and ITS regions. The biomass productivity and lipid content of B. sudeticus J2 were 0.116 g $L^{-1}day^{-1}$ and 40.1% of dry wt., respectively. This was higher than the value of B. braunii UTEX 572, which is widely regarded as a superior strain among Botryococcus species. The relatively high growth rate of B. sudeticus J2 was achieved under a light intensity of 240 ${\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$ with ambient air spargingwhen compared to 120 ${\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$ with 2% $CO_2$ supply. In summary, it is likely that the isolated B. sudeticus J2 can be used for the mass cultivation and biodiesel production.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.2 s.103
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• pp.161-171
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• 2003

The present study evaluated water quality variation, limiting nutrient, and sediment of a shallow eutrophic lake (Lake Ilgam) in the metropolitan area from 2000 to 2002. According to annual mean chl.a ($77.2{\pm}36.6\;{\mu}g/l) and TP ($66.6{\pm}20.5\;{\mu}g/l) concentration and trophic state index (>60), Lake llgam was in very eutrophic status. Both inorganic nitrogen ($NH_3-N$ and $NH_3-N$) and phosphorus (SRP) concentrations in the water column increased during winter and spring, but decreased during summer followed by the phytoplankton development. Evidence for phosphorus and nitrogen as being the potential limiting nutrients for phytoplankton growth was supported by the ratio of DIN/DIP (by mass) (${\sim}$835.8), TSI derivations analysis, and algal growth potential bioassay. Based on the results of TSI derivations, strong nutrient limitation by both N and P occurred from September to November when P content in sediment (114.6 mg P/kg) was relatively low compared with the summer. Sediment contained a large amount of nitrogen (TKN: 4,452${\pm}$283.0mg N/kg dry sediment). Phosphorus content in sediment (TP: 313${\pm}$155 mg P/kg) was relatively low with temporal change. P release rate (0.29${\pm}$0.02 mg $m^{-2}$ $day^{-1}$) was high under the aerobic condition at pH 9. These results indicate that the sediment could play an important role as a source of a limiting nutrient, and temporal change of P content in the sediment is closely related with water quality, especially algal biomass change in Lake llgam.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2003

In the previous reports, the authors isolated two strains of marine bacteria, Shewanella sp. SR-14, which has Chaetonros sp. growth inhibition activity, and Vibrio alginolyticus, that did not affect growth of the alga. In the present study, fatty acid compositions of diatoms, Chaetoceros calcitrans and Skeletonema costatum, and marine bacteria, Shewanella sp. SR-14 and V. alginolyticus, were analyzed. Changes of fatty acid composition in the diatoms grown with the marine bacteria were also determined. Major fatty acids of Sbewanella sp. SR-14 were 16:1n-7 $(29.4\%)$ and 16:0 $(19.2\%)$ during incubation in peptone broth at $20^{\circ}C$ for 3 days. The compositions of V. alginolyticus detected were 16:0 $(23.7\%),$ 16:1n-7 $(27.7\%)$ and 18:1n-7 $(21.0\%).$ C. calcitrans consisted of 16:1n-7 $(33.3\%),$ 16:0 $(27.1\%)$ and 14:0 $(12.1\%).$ S. costatum mainly contained 16:1n-7 $(28.9\%),$ 16:0 $(21.6\%)$ and 20:5 $(19.8\%).$ When halves of cell numbers of C. calcitrans were moribund cells by Shewanella sp. SR-14, the C. calcitrans and S. costatum simultaneously cultured with the bacteria were harvested by filtration with GE/D glass microfibre filter. In the fatty acid composition of both diatoms, saturated fatty acid contents in both diatoms grown with Shewanella sp. SR-14 were decreased, but unsaturated fatty acid contents were increased. The differences were greater in C. calcitrans than those in S. costatum. During the growth of diatoms with V. alginolyticus, C. calcitrans showed increase of saturated fatty acid contents and decrease of unsaturated fatty acid contents; however, S. costatum did not show sharp difference in fatty acid content. In this study, Shewanella sp. SR-14, which showed growth inhibition activity against C. calcitrans, influenced on the changes of fatty acid contents in the diatom. It was suggested that increased unsaturated fatty acid was synergistically activated algal growth inhibition activity of Shewanella sp. SR-14.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.379-386
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• 2007

Nonylphenol (NP) has been well known as a major substance of surfactant and/or estrogenic environmental hormone. We tested toxic effects of nonylphenol on the population growth and development of aquatic organism such as algae (Microcystis aeruginosa), heterotrophic nanoflagellate (Diphylleia rotans), micro- (Brachionus calyciflorus) and macro-zooplankton (Daphnia magna) among eutrophic water food-web constituents. Dosage of NP treatment were 4 to 5 grades, according to each organism's tolerance based on pre-experiments; algae (0.01, 0.05, 0.10, 1.00 mg $L^{-1}$) Diphylleia rotans (0.5, 1,2. 5,6, 10 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1})$, Brachionus calyciflorus (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), and Daphnia magna (0.5, 1, 5, 10, 50 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), respectively. Toxic effects were measured by the changes of biomass of each organism after NP treatment. All experiments were triplication. As suggested, the higher concentration of NP treatment, the stronger inhibited the population growth of all organisms tested. In view of toxicity, a variety of concentration of NP showed a significant growth inhibition to organism; algae to 0.05 $mg\;L^{-1}$, D. rotans and B. calyciflorus to 1.0 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, and D. magna to 5.0 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The $EC_{50}$ of each organism to the nonylphenol are as follows; 3. calyciflorus (2.49 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), D. rotans (3.49 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$), D. magna (7.61 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1})$, and M. aeruginosa (47 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1})$. NP toxic effects on the development of zooplankton like egg production showed some differences in treatment concentration between Brachionus calyciflorus ${0.1{\sim}1NP{\mu}g\;L^{-1})$ and Daphnia magna $(0.5{\sim}5NP\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1})$. These results suggest that a strong growth inhibition of predator or grazer by the nonylphenol can stimulate the algal growth, or can play important role in evoking the nuisance algal bloom in eutrophic water with enough nutrients.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.263-275
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• 2020

Water temperature is known to affect the growth and feeding of marine dinoflagellates. Each dinoflagellate species grows well at a certain optimal temperature but dies at very cold and hot temperatures. Thus, changes in water temperatures driven by global warming and extremely high or low temperatures can affect the distribution of dinoflagellates. Yihiella yeosuensis is a mixotrophic dinoflagellate that can feed on only the cryptophyte Teleaulax amphioxeia and the chlorophyte Pyramimonas sp. Furthermore, it grows fast mixotrophically but rarely grows photosynthetically. We explored the direct and indirect effects of water temperature on the growth and ingestion rates of Y. yeosuensis feeding on T. amphioxeia and the growth rates of T. amphioxeia and Pyramimonas sp. under 7 different water temperatures (5-35℃). Both the autotrophic and mixotrophic growth rates of Y. yeosuensis on T. amphioxeia were significantly affected by temperature. Under the mixotrophic and autotrophic conditions, Y. yeosuensis survived at 10-25℃, but died at 5℃ and ≥30℃. The maximum mixotrophic growth rate of Y. yeosuensis on T. amphioxeia (1.16 d^-1) was achieved at 25℃, whereas the maximum autotrophic growth rate (0.16 d^-1) was achieved at 15℃. The maximum ingestion rate of Y. yeosuensis on T. amphioxeia (0.24 ng C predator^-1 d^-1) was achieved at 25℃. The cells of T. amphioxeia survived at 10-25℃, but died at 5 and ≥30℃. The cells of Pyramimonas sp. survived at 5-25℃, but died at 30℃. The maximum growth rate of T. amphioxeia (0.72 d^-1) and Pyramimonas sp. (0.75 d^-1) was achieved at 25℃. The abundance of Y. yeosuensis is expected to be high at 25℃, at which its two prey species have their highest growth rates, whereas Y. yeosuensis is expected to be rare or absent at 5℃ or ≥30℃ at which its two prey species do not survive or grow. Therefore, temperature can directly or indirectly affect the population dynamics and distribution of Y. yeosuensis.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1079-1085
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• 2012

Ground seawater quality was investigated, and the algal growth potential (AGP) tests were performed along the Tongyeong coast to examine the inflow of materials, which is needed for the red tide species Cochlodinium polykrikoides to grow. The study was conducted to determine the mechanism for C. polykrikoidesred tides. Water temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) ranged from 16.05 to $20.74^{\circ}C$, 18.20 to 32.11 psu, 6.00 to 7.61, and 3.41 to 7.91 mg/L (41.4-96.1%), respectively. No seasonal variation was observed in water temperature. The salinity, pH, and DO saturations at most stations were lower than those of coastal seawater at Tongyeong. The ${NH_4}^+$-N, ${NO_{2+3}}^-$-N, ${PO_4}^{3-}$-P concentrations ranged from 0.43 to 16.00 ${\mu}M$, 1.50 to 132.38 ${\mu}M$, and 1.30 to 6.29 ${\mu}M$, respectively; the values at some stations were much higher than observed in Tongyeong coast seawater. Using seawater from station B, C. polykrikoides grew consistently, with a high growth rate, similar to the red tide in nature. This seawater appeared to contain materials needed by C. polykrikoides to grow. Therefore, C. polykrikoides red tides seem to occur wherever the ground sea water contains materials that are needed for its growth.