• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.508-514
• /
• 2017

Water-bloom and red tide due to eutrophication have been overgrown and have caused various environmental problems. Recently, however, research on bid-diesel that can utilize algae as an energy source has been actively carried out. In particular, many studies variously have been conducted to utilize algal photosynthesis oxygen as a supply method for reducing the energy by an air blower in MWTP. In this study, a lab scale algae-nitrification reactor was operated to replace the oxygen required for nitrogen removal and the operation period was largely divided into three sections. In the first section, ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency was 24 ~ 38% according to the MLSS (Mixed Liquer Suspended Solid) concentration. In the second section, ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency was 38 ~ 50% according to the micro-algae concentration and in the last section ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency was 61 ~ 80% according to HRT (Hydraulic Retention Time). As a result, as the MLSS decreased and algae biomass increased, the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency tended to increase, but the effect of Algae biomass was greater than that of MLSS.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.15 no.8
• /
• pp.727-735
• /
• 2006

In this study, the PHYTO-PAM-fluorometric method was used to evaluate the ETR$_{max}$ in terms of sensitivity to DIN/DIP against 14 microalgae: Prorocentrum micans, Heterocapsa triquetra, Gymnodinium impudicum, Cymnodinium catenatum, Amphidinium caterae, Chlorella vulgaris, Chroococcus minutus, Microcystis aeruginosa, Chlorella ellipsoidea, Nannochloris oculata, Oocystis lacustris, Chroomonas salina, Gloeocystis gigas, and Prymnessium parvum. We found that P. micans, H. triquetra, and A. caterae exposed to the maximum level of DIN/DIP were significantly smaller in the ETR$_{max}$ than that of the minimum and moderate mixture. Unlikely the ETR$_{max}$, the initial slope alpha was not significantly different at the level of 60 DIN/DIP. In G. catenatum, the moderate levels of 15 and 20 in DIN/DIP were found to be significantly different from the ETR$_{max}$ at Chl-Ch4. Gymnodinium impudicum had a higher value than that of the ETR$_{max}$ than that of dinoflagellates used in this study, ranging from 306.1 (Ch4, DIN/DIP: 10) to 520.1 (Ch4, DIN/DIP: 30). The ETR$_{max}$ value obtained from other microalgae was similar to C. impudicum at any of the ratios of DIN/DIP and channels. Consequently, the influence of offshore water current assures us of the suppression of photosynthesis and electron transport rate in dinoflagellates. Gymnodinium impudicum has not been researched in the area of red tides in Korea, but it will be enough to creat the massive algal blooms in the future because of higher potential photochemical availability.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.321-331
• /
• 2014

Vertebrata lanosa is an abundant and obligate red algal epiphyte of Ascophyllum nodosum that forms part of a complex and highly integrated symbiotic system that includes the ascomycete, Mycophycias ascophylli. As part of ongoing studies to resolve interactions among species in the symbiosis, we used pulse amplitude modulation fluorimetry of chlorophyll a fluorescence, from photosystem II (PSII), to measure the maximum quantum yield ($F_v/F_m$) of PSII [$QY(II)_{max}$] and relative photosynthetic electron transport rates (rETR), as a function of light intensity, in order to evaluate the photosynthetic capacity of the two algal symbionts in the field and in the laboratory under different treatments. Our primary question was 'Is the ecological integration of these species reflected in a corresponding physiological integration involving photosynthetic process?' In the laboratory we measured changes in $QY(II)_{max}$ in thalli of V. lanosa and A. nodosum over one week periods when maintained together in either attached or detached treatments or when maintained separated from each other. While the $QY(II)_{max}$ of PSII of A. nodosum remained high and showed no significant variation among treatments, V. lanosa showed decreasing performance in the following conditions: V. lanosa attached to A. nodosum, V. lanosa in the same culture, but not attached to A. nodosum, and V. lanosa alone. These results are consistent with observations in which rETR was reduced in V. lanosa maintained alone versus attached to A. nodosum. Values for $QY(II)_{max}$ in V. lanosa measured in the field in fully submerged thalli were similar to those measured in the laboratory when V. lanosa was attached to it obligate host A. nodosum. Our results provide evidence of a physiological association of the epiphyte and its host that reflects the known ecology.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.432-438
• /
• 2018

Microalgae hold promise as a renewable energy source for the production of biofuel, as they can convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. However, cost-efficient harvest of microalgae remains a major challenge to commercial-scale algal biofuel production. We first investigated the potential of electrolytic water as a flocculant for harvesting Tetraselmis sp. Alkaline electrolyzed water (AEW) is produced at the cathode through water electrolysis. It contains mineral ions such as $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ that can act as flocculants. The flocculation activity with AEW was evaluated via culture density, AEW concentration, medium pH, settling time, and ionic strength analyses. The flocculation efficiency was 88.7% at 20% AEW (pH 8, 10 min) with a biomass concentration of 2 g/l. The initial biomass concentration and medium pH had significant influences on the flocculation activity of AEW. A viability test of flocculated microalgal cells was conducted using Evans blue stain, and the cells appeared intact. Furthermore, the growth rate of Tetraselmis sp. in recycled flocculation medium was similar to the growth rate in fresh F/2 medium. Our results suggested that AEW flocculation could be a very useful and affordable methodology for fresh biomass harvesting with environmentally friendly easy operation in part of the algal biofuel production process.

• 한국해양학회지
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.108-116
• /
• 1991

A production model was constructed by combining the production rate and biomass of Sargassum confusum measured at monthly intervals on the coast of Ohori, Korea, to estimate the algal production for a given period. The production for a certain period, e.g., for a year (P/SUB yr/), was calculated from the equation: P/SUB yr/ = .int.P/SUB t/$.$B/SUB t/dt, where pl and Bl are the production rate and biomass at time t. P/SUB l/ was considered as a function of temperature and light. Photosynthesis-Irradiance curves obtained from the in situ experiments were applied for P/SUB l/ Temperature and light intensity can be expressed as periodic functions of time (T, L=f(t)). Diurnal values of water temperature and light intensity at 3 m depth where S. confusum mainly found were substituted into the equation of P/SUB l/. Simulations using our models show that temperature was one of the most sensitive factors operating on the primary production. Thirty percent decrease of light intensity by cloud cover was estimated to decrease the annual production by 5%.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.54-63
• /
• 2007

The sedimentary sequence of the non-marine Cretaceous Jinju Formation from Sacheon, Korea, contains a number of rod-shaped stromatolites (RSS) characterized by concentric lamination with curd-shaped, stratiform, and small columnar stromatolites. Unlike the world trend, a massive distribution of rod-shaped stomatolite was discovered in the region. The mineral composition, diagenetic alteration, and weathering process of the kind were analyzed by EPMA. The gross morphology of RSS is almost identical to broken plant twigs or stems formed by microbial activity onto which it grew. RSSs are interpreted as stromatolitic algae over plant twigs, which formed through concentric carbonate precipitation by epiphytic algal photosynthesis. The distribution of localities and horizons of the stromatolite imply that RSS is allochthonous and autochthonous. Two types of cyanobacterial filaments and one type of peen algal filament were discovered. The size frequency distribution of calcified filamentous microfossils found in stromatolite was $2.2{\mu}m\;and\;7.8{\mu}m$ in mean diameter of the former, $32.3{\mu}m$ in mean diameter of the latter. The cyanobacterial fossils played a key role in the formation of stromatolite, while the green algal filament was auxiliary stromatolite-builder stromatolites. The filamentous microfossils including trichome were found within the stromatolitic laminae.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.524-531
• /
• 2004

Photosynthetic activities and primary production of phytoplankton were investigated in Lake Gocheonam from October 1999 to August 2000. As an estuary lake with a barrage in the Southwestern coast of the Korean peninsula, the lake has received more attention after it became known as the habitat of large population of rare and endangered bird- Baikal Teal. As the lake had high algal biomass ranging from $20\mu{g}\;chl-aL^{-1}\;to\;125\mu{g}\;chl-aL^{-1}$ in average values and rich eutrophication indicator species, the freshwaters were in a very productive or hypertrophic state. In the results obtained from the phytoplankton incubation in the laboratory, the maximum photosynthetic rate $(P_{max})$ varied according to seasons and sampling stations. Photo- synthetic activities were higher during the warm season than the cold seasons and the serial order of $P_{max}$ was August dominated with Microcystis, April with Chlamydomonas and Nitzschia, October with Chlamydomonas and January with Stephanodiscus. The water of the lake was persistently turbid throughout the year due to strong winds from the adjacent sea. Despite the water turbidity, the phytoplankton productions estimated from a mathematical model had very broad range from 18mg C $m^{-2}day^{-1}\;to\;10,300mg\;C\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.87-95
• /
• 2000

As sunlight not always optimized for every terrestrial plant in terms of light quality, quantity and duration, some plants suffer detrimental effects of sunlight exposure under certain conditions. Photoinhibition of photosynthesis is a typical phenomenon representing harmful light effects, commonly observed in many photosynthetic organisms. It is generally accepted that functional, structural loss of photosystem II complex(PSII) is the primary event of photoinhibition. Accumulating data also suggest that singlet oxygen($^1$O$_2$) is the main toxic species directly involved in it. There are two different views on the specific site and mechanism of $^1$O$_2$ production in the photosynthetic membrane. One of them favors the PSII reaction center, where the primary charge pairs recombination occurs as a prerequisite for the generation of $^1$O$_2$, and the other inclines to photosensitized $^1$O$_2$ formation by a substance located outside PSII. This article describes how we, as the advocators of the latter concept, have arrived at the conclusion that $^1$O$_2$ immediately involved in PSII photodamage is largely generated from the Rieske center of the cytochrome b$_{6}$/f complex and diffuses into PSII, attacking the reaction center subunits.s.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.15-19
• /
• 1967

Chlorella ellipsoidea cells were cultured in an iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum or boron-free medium. Physiological activities such as growth rate, reproduction, endogenous and glucose respiration, photosynthetic activity and biosythesis of chlorophyll of the micro-element definition cells were measured. It generally, growth rate, respiratory and photosynthetic activities, and biosynthesis of chlorophyll of the micro-element deficient cells decreased more or less, compared with those of the normal cells. The growth of the algal cells in an iron-free medium were retarded severely with the chlorosis, and the photosynthetic activity of the cells decreased remarkably even though the low content of chlorophyll in the cells owing to the iron-deficiency is considered. Therefore, it is deduced that iron takes part in the photosynthetic process itself, possibly by its participation in the photo phosphorylation coupled with electron transport. Respiratory activity of boron-deficient cells showed the most severe decrease whereas those of the molybdenum-deficient cells showed very slight decrease in spite of severe growth retardation.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.173-183
• /
• 2013

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is widely used to disinfect seawater in power plant cooling systems in order to reduce biofouling, and in ballast water treatment systems to prevent transport of exotic marine species. While the toxicity of NaOCl is expected to increase by ongoing ocean acidification, and many experimental studies have shown how algal calcification, photosynthesis and growth respond to ocean acidification, no studies have investigated the relationship between NaOCl toxicity and increased $CO_2$. Therefore, we investigated whether the impacts of NaOCl on survival, chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and effective quantum yield in three marine phytoplankton belonging to different taxonomic classes are increased under high $CO_2$ levels. Our results show that all biological parameters of the three species decreased under increasing NaOCl concentration, but increasing $CO_2$ concentration alone (from 450 to 715 ${\mu}atm$) had no effect on any of these parameters in the organisms. However, due to the synergistic effects between NaOCl and $CO_2$, the survival and Chl-a content in two of the species, Thalassiosira eccentrica and Heterosigma akashiwo, were significantly reduced under high $CO_2$ when NaOCl was also elevated. The results show that combined exposure to high $CO_2$ and NaOCl results in increasing toxicity of NaOCl in some marine phytoplankton. Consequently, greater caution with use of NaOCl will be required, as its use is widespread in coastal waters.