• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2011

This study was purposed to develop an effective LC/MS/MS method for simultaneously determining five pre-treated cyanotoxins (anatoxin-a, microcystins-RR, -YR, -LR and -LA) of cyanobacteria blooms. Cyanobacterial bloom samples were collected from 11 major lakes and three downstream areas of river around Korea during 2005~2009. Cyanotoxins were identified in 38 samples from the lakes. The validity of the method was evaluated and the recovery rates were found ranging from 83~87%. The MDL turned out to be $0.046\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for anatoxin-a and $0.066\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ for microcystins (RR, YR, LR and LA), which indicates that the method has high sensitivity and accuracy. The most dominant genus of the cyanobacterial blooms was Microcystis, which accounted for 71% of the analysed samples. Microcystis also contained the largest amount of microcystins ($398.5\;{\mu}g\;gDW^{-1}$) among the analyzed cyanobacteria. The analysis of the five cyanotoxins showed that anatoxin-a ranged between $0{\sim}41.833\;{\mu}g\;gDW^{-1}$ and microcystins ranged between $6.311{\sim}2,148.786\;{\mu}g\;gDW^{-1}$. Among the microcystins, micocystin-RR took up 58.3%, the largest portion. Anatoxin-a was found to account for 77.8% of the samples. This study has its significance in that it allowed the establishment of toxin criteria appropriate for the Korean water systems. Further studies may be necessary to conduct for improving water treatment methods.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Contamination of source water by odorous compounds are one of the problems related to the water quality management, especially in Korea where surface water is used as drinking water. Geosmin (1, 10-trans-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol) and 2-MIB (2-methyl isoborneol : 1,2,7,7-tetramethyl-exo-bicycloheptan-2-ol) are commonly recognized earthy-musty odor compounds produced by algae causing serious problems to the drinking water purification facilities. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, spatial and temporal distribution of the odor compounds, geosmin and 2-MIB were investigated along with the development of phytoplankton in the Daechung reservoir from July 2012 to October 2013. CONCLUSION: Concentrations and frequencys of detection of both compounds increased from April to October which were related to cyanobacterial bloom periods. However, concentrations of odor compounds were not related to the number of cyanobacteria. Concentrations of both cyanobacteria and geosmin showed similar trends with depth. Pearson correlation analyses showed that geosmin concentration exhibited significant correlation with the count of Anabaena macrospora and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. On the other hand, 2-MIB concentration showed a significant correlation with the count of Anabaena smithii.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 1999

The effects of bicarbonate concentration, atmospheric carbon dioxide level, and reduced atmospheric oxygen on biomass and geosmin production and geosmin/biomass (G/B) values for Streptomyces halstedii, a producer of the off-flavor compound geosmin, were determined. In addition, a study was performed to determined possible synergistic relationships between a cyanobacterium, Oscillatoria tenuis UTEX #1566, and S. halstedii in the enhancement of actinomycete growth and/or geosmin production. These studies took into consideration those conditions that can occur during cyanobacterial bloom die-offs. Increasing bicarbonate concentration caused slight decreases in geosmin production and G/B for S. halstedii. Increasing atmospheric oxygen promoted geosmin production and G/B while lower oxygen levels resulted in a decrease in geosmin production and G/B by S. halstedii. Biomass production by S. halstedii was adversely affected by reduced oxygen levels while changes in bicarbonate concentration and atmospheric carbon dioxdie levels had little effect on biomass production. Sonicated cells of O. tenuis UTEX #1566 promoted biomass production by S. halstedii, and O. tenuis culture (cells and extracellular metabolites) and culture supernatnat (extracellular metabolites) each promoted geosmin and G/B yields for S. halstedii. In certain aquatic systems, environmental conditions resulting from cyanobacterial blooms and subsequent bloom die-offs could favor actinomycete growth and off-flavor compound by certain actinomycetes.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.350-357
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• 2014

Harmful Algal Bloom Alert System (HABAS) for drinking water supply is require to fast and accurate count as system monitoring of cyanobacterium occurrence and inducing a response action. We measured correlation between colony size and cell number including genus Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Microcystis, Oscillatoria which are targeted at HABAS, deducted from standard formula, and suggested calculation method from colony size to the number of cell. We collected cyanobacteria samples at Han River (Paldang reservoir), Nakdong River (Dalseong weir, Changnyeonghaman weir) and Geum River (Gobok reservoir) from August to October, 2013. Also, we studied correlation between colony size and cell number, and calculated regression equation. As a result of correlation of harmful cyanobacteria by genus, Anabaena spp. and Aphanizomenon spp. having trichome showed high correlation coefficients more than 0.93 and Microcystis spp. having colony showed correlation coefficient of 0.76. As a result of correlation of harmful cyanobacteria by species, Anabaena crassa, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, A. issatschenkoi, Oscillatoria curviceps, O. mougeotii having trichome showed high correlation coefficients from 0.89 to 0.96, and Microcystis aeruginosa, M. wessenbergii, M. viridis having colony showed correlation coefficients from 0.76 to 0.88. Compared with other genus Microcystis relatively showed low correlation because even species and colony size are the same, cell density and cell size are different from Microcystis strains. In this study, using calculated regression might be fast and simple method of cell counting. From now on, we need to secure additional samples, and make a decision to study about other species.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.424-432
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• 2020

The present study aimed to analyze the metaproteome of the microbial community comprising harmful algal bloom (HAB) in the Daechung reservoir, Korea. HAB samples located at GPS coordinates of 36°29'N latitude and 127°28'E longitude were harvested in October 2013. Microscopic observation of the HAB samples revealed red signals that were presumably caused by the autofluorescence of chlorophyll and phycocyanin in viable cyanobacteria. Metaproteomic analysis was performed by a gelbased shotgun proteomic method. Protein identification was conducted through a two-step analysis including a forward search strategy (FSS) (random search with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Cyanobase, and Phytozome), and a subsequent reverse search strategy (RSS) (additional Cyanobase search with a decoy database). The total number of proteins identified by the two-step analysis (FSS and RSS) was 1.8-fold higher than that by one-step analysis (FSS only). A total of 194 proteins were assigned to 12 cyanobacterial species (99 mol%) and one green algae species (1 mol%). Among the species identified, the toxic microcystin-producing Microcystis aeruginosa NIES-843 (62.3%) species was the most dominant. The largest functional category was proteins belonging to the energy category (39%), followed by metabolism (15%), and translation (12%). This study will be a good reference for monitoring ecological variations at the meta-protein level of aquatic microalgae for understanding HAB.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.513-520
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• 2006

The effect of chlorination on disinfection byproducts (DBPs) production from bloom-forming freshwater algae including 7 strains of cyanobacteria and 6 strains of diatoms was investigated. The release and degradation of hepatotoxin (microcystins) by the chlorination on Microcystis under differential condition of the chlorination time and dose were also investigated. The disinfection byproducts formation potentials (DBPFP) of cyanobacterial species and diatoms were ranged from 0.017 to $0.070{\mu}mol\;DBPs/mg$ C and from 0.129 to $0.708{\mu}mol\;DBPs/mg$ C respectively. Among three major groups of DBPs, haloacetonitrils (HANs) was major product in most test strains except Aphanizomenon sp. and Oscillatoria sp. Haloacetic acids (HAAs) was less than 5 % of total DBPs. Chloroform and dichloroacetonitril (DCAN) were dominant compounds in trihalomethanes (THMs) and HANs respectively. After 4 hours chlorination of toxic Microcystis aeruginosa under the dose range of 0.5 to $10mg\;Cl_2/L$, the concentration of intracellular microcystins decreased, but dissolved dissolved microcystins concentration increased with the treatment of more than $3mg\;Cl_2/L$. However the total amount of microcystins was almost constant even at $10mg\;Cl_2/L$ of chlorination. To conclude, our results indicate that the chlorination causes algal cell lysis and release of intracellular microcystins in the intact form to surrounding waters.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.116-126
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• 2014

To evaluate the relationship between dynamics of Cyanobacterial bloom and rainfalls, a monthly monitoring of water quality and phytoplankton from the three serial lakes (Lake Ui-am, Lake Chung-pyeong and Lake Pal-dang) in the North Han River System were examined 12 times from May 2012 to March 2013. A dense bloom of cyanobacterium Anabaena spp., was occurred over three lakes in the summer season of 2012. In Lake Ui-am, the Anabaena population appeared in June, showed a peak in July (43,850 cells $mL^{-1}$) and disappeared in November 2012. In Lake Chung-pyeong and Lake Pal-dang, Anabaena population commonly appeared in July, showed the peaks (31,648 cells $mL^{-1}$ and 7,136 cells $mL^{-1}$, respectively) in August, and entirely disappeared in September 2012. Over the three lakes, the phytoplankton community was commonly dominated by diatoms before Monsoon, cyanobacteria during Monsoon, and diatoms after Monsoon, respectively, indicating a Monsoon-dependent succession. A correlation analysis revealed that dynamics of Anabaena population was strongly related with rainfall (r=0.72, r=0.83, r=0.88, P<0.01 for three lakes), and partly with nutrients, inflow and outflow of lakes. Therefore, this study indicates that the outbreak and destruction of Anabaena bloom in North Han River System between 2012 and 2013 was impacted by rainfalls. However, a high density of cyanobacteria in Lake Ui-am remained after Monsoon, and thus, may paroduce bad-order and toxins from phytoplankton.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2013

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasonic wave on colonial changes of Microcystis sp. causing water-bloom. The effects of frequency change and exposure time of ultrasonic wave on Microcystis sp. were also perceived by measuring the concentration of chlorophyll-a. The concentrations of chlorophyll-a showed a decreasing tendency in all experimental groups exposed to ultrasonic waves, especially the highest decrease at 70 kHz. Before exposed to ultrasonic wave, single cells of Microcystis sp. were observed in a form of colonies which were densely accumulated onto their mucilage layer. However, after one hour exposure to 70 kHz ultrasonic wave, the bonds of colonies were weakened and single cells were separated from the colonies. Moreover, the single cells of the colony were destroyed with the 5 hour exposure time at 70 kHz. As a result, we proposed that the frequency strength and the exposure time of ultrasonic wave might have effects in decrease of biomass of blue-green algae by reducing the concentration of chlorophyll-a, thereby changing and destroying forms of Microcystis sp. colonies.

• ALGAE
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 2005

Daily variation of phytoplankton community and environmental parameters were investigated at the lower Nakdong River (Mulgum) from January 2002 to December 2003 to investigate the dynamics of a phytoplankton community in detail. The daily results of water quality in this investigation showed pH (8.1 $\pm$ 0.7), DO (10.3 $\pm$ 2.7 $mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$), water temp. (18.8 $\pm$ 7.4°C), BOD (2.4 $\pm$ 1.0 $mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$), COD (5.3 $\pm$ 1.2 $mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$) and chl. a (43.5 $\pm$ 35.1 mg ${\cdot}m^{-3}$). The results of nutrient factors were the following: TN (3.1 $\pm$ 0.8 $mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$), NO3-N (2.5 $\pm$ 0.5 $mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$), TP (90 $\pm$ 48 ${\mu}g\;{\cdot}\;l^{-1}$), PO4-P (43 $\pm$ 30 ${\mu}g\;{\cdot}\;l^{-1}$). Dominant phytoplankton species during the study period were diatom (Stephanodiscus hantzschii, Aulacoseira granulata var. angustissima and A. italica) and cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae). The small centric diatom, Stephanodiscus hantzschii, was repeatedly dominant from late fall to the following spring (mean and maximum cell density, 2.3 × 103 $\pm$ 3.8 × 103, 4.5 × 105 cells $ml^{-1}$, respectively). Pinnate diatom, Aulacoseira granulata var. angustissima and A. italica, were frequently observed all season except January to March. Cyanobacteria, Microcystis aeruginosa and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, proliferated in summer of 2002 except in 2003 due to heavy precipitation. The dominant zooplankton species (March-early May) was rotifer (Brachionus, Keratella, Polyarthra) and cladocerans (Diaphanosoma). The daily observed dynamics of the phytoplankton community in the lower Nakdong River in this study may play an important role in increasing the detailed resolution of limnological information and serving as ecological data for future studies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2003

A freshwater bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa, and local soil isolate Scytonema sp. strain BT 23 were demonstrated to contain biotoxic secondary metabolites with pesticidal and mosquito larvicidal activities. A purified toxic constituent from M aeruginosa showed an absorption maximum at 230 nm and its toxicity symptoms, Rf value on TLC, and retention time observed ill an HPLC analysis were similar to those of the hepatotoxic heptapeptide microcystin-LR. The bioactive constituent of the Scytonema sp. was less polar in nature and exhibited two peaks at 240 and 285 m. When applied to two cruciffrous pests, Pieris brassicae and Plutella flostella, the crude extracts and toxic principles from the two cyanobacteria showed significant antifeedant activity in a no-choice bioassay, and at higher concenuations exhibited contact toxicity to the insect larvae. The purified toxin from M. aeruginosa was found to be more effective and produced 97.5 and $92.8\%$ larval mortality in the two pests, fo11owing 2 h of toxin treatment at a concentration of $25{\mu}g$ Per leaf disc (2.5 cm dia.). Meanwhile, similar treatment with the purified toxin from Sytonema sp. stain BT 23 only produced 73 and $78\%$ mortality in the two pests. The cyanobacterial constituents also showed significant activity against Culex and Anopheles larvae. The M. aeruginosa toxin ($20{\mu}g\;ml^-1$) caused 98.2 and $88.1\%$ mortality in the Culex and Anopheles larvae, respectively, while the purified toxin from the Sytonema sp. was less toxic and only produced a 96.3 and $91.2\%$ mortality, respectively, at a much higher concentration ($40{\mu}g\;ml^-1$). Accordingly, the current results point to certain hitherto unknown biological properties of cyanobacterial biotoxins.