• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1700-1703
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• 2007

Microorganisms capable of degrading crude oil were isolated and grown in soybean oil as a sole carbon source. The microbial cultures were used to control green peach aphids in vitro. Approximately 60% mortality of aphids was observed when the cultures were applied alone onto aphids. To examine the cultures as a pesticide formulation mixture, the cultures were combined with a low dose of the insecticide imidacloprid (one-fourth dose of recommended field-application rate) and applied onto aphids. The cultures enhanced significantly the insecticidal effectiveness of imidacloprid, which was higher than imidacloprid alone applied at the low dose. The isolated microorganisms exhibited high emulsifying index values and decreased surface tension values after being grown in soybean oil media. GC/MS analyses showed that microorganisms degraded soybean oil to fatty acids. The cultures were suggested to play the roles of wetting, spreading, and sticking agents to improve the effectiveness of imidacloprid. This is the first report on the control of aphids by using oil-degrading microbial cultures.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.101-107
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• 1998

Biological treatment of Arabian light crude oil-contaminated pebble was investigated in laboratory microcosms after supplementation with inorganic nutrients and oil-degrading microorganisms. Glass columns ($10cm{\times}20cm$) were used as microcosms and each microcosm was filled with pebbles of diameter less than 40 mm. After initial oil contamination of 2.4% (w/v), Inipol EAP-22 or slow release fertilizer (SRF) was added as inorganic nutrients and microorganisms were sprayed over pebbles. When $C_{17}$/pristane and $C_{18}$/phytane ratios were used as a marker for oil biodegradation, both ratios for microcosm supplemented with SRF and microorganisms were the lowest (below detectable range) after 92 days. Elimination of oil by abiotic processes, however, were minimal with decrease of $C_{17}$/pristane and $C_{18}$/phytane ratios from 3.55 and 2.41 to 3.06 and 1.50, respectively. The numbers of heterotrophic and oil-degrading microorganisms, and biological activity (dehydrogenase activity) corresponded to the course of biodegradation activities in all microcosms. During the whole experimental period, there was no significant nutrient deficiency only in the microcosm with SRF and microorganisms. It seemed that a continuous supply of inorganic nutrients using SRF was the most important factor for the successful performance of biological treatment in oil-contaminated pebbles.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2002

To evaluate the effect of reed population on the distribution and activities of microorganisms, vertical distribution of heterotrophic bacteria, degradation rate of cellulose, extracellular aminopeptidase activity (APA) and metabolic diversity based on GN2 Microlog plate were measured at two salt marsh stations in Hogok-ri, Namyang Bay, west coast of Korea. The number of heterotrophic bacteria at station 1 (reed population inhabited area) showed 2 to 6 times higher than that of station 2 (exposed area) with exception in the surface layer. Cellulose degradation rates in station 1 showed more than 50%. month-I and higher than that of station 2 (10.2 to 38.4%. $month^{-1}$). Yet the APA at two stations did not show difference except surface layer and suggested that APA might not be a significant factor in degrading marsh plant debris. Lipid class compounds, cell wall polymers and L-alanine were widely used by microorganisms. The number and activities of bacterial populations especially concerned in plant debris degradation seemed to be stimulated by the reed communities.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.09a
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• pp.269-272
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• 2004

The use of colloidal gas aphron (CGA), as an external oxygen carrier, provides a promising alternative to promote aerobic bioremediation of BTEX in the subsurface environment. CGA is a stable bubble supported by three surfactant layers and can supply oxygen below the soil surface uniformly due to its plug-flow characteristic. Since CGA has a hydrophobic layer that can act as a partitioning medium for hydrophobic contaminants it is known to facilitate desorption of soil-sorbed contaminants. In addition, bioaugmentation and biostimulation are possibly achieved by using CGA when generated from a solution containing BTEX-degrading microorganisms and appropriate nutrients. In this study, we presented the physico-chemical characteristics of CGA generated from a solution composed of microorganisms and nutrients. The applicability of CGA as an in situ aerobic bioremediation technology of BTEX will be further evaluated.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.549-551
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• 2001

The heavy use of petroleum products in modern livings has brought ubiquitous environmental contaminants of aromatic compounds, which persist in aquatic and geo-environment without the substantial degradation. The persistence and accumulation of the aromatic compounds, which include xylene, phenol, toluene, phthalate, and so on are known to cause serious problems in our environments. Some of soil and aquatic microorganisms facilitate their growth by degrading aromatic compounds and utilizing degrading products as growth substrates, the biodegradation helps the reentry of carbons of aromatic compounds, preventing their accumulation in our environments. The metabolic studies on the degradation of aromatic compounds by microoganisms were extensively carried out along with their genetic studies. A Rhodococcus sp. EL-GT isolated in activated sludges has shown the excellent ability to grow on phenol as a sole carbon source. In the present study investigated a gene encoding phenol-degrading enzymes from a Rhodococcus sp. EL-GT.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.128-135
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• 1999

Among oil-degrading microorganisms isolated from oil-polluted industrial areas, one yeast strain showed high degradation activity of aliphatic hydrocarbons. From the analyses of 18S rRNA sequences, fatty acid, coenzyme Q system, G+C content of DNA, and biochemical characteristics, the strain was identified as Yarrowia lipolytica 180. Y. lipolytica 180 degraded 94% of aliphatic hydrocarbons in minimal salts medium containing 0.2% (v/v) of Arabian light crude oil within 3 days at 25$^{\circ}C$. Optimal growth conditions for temperature, pH, NaCl concentration, and crude oil concentration were 30$^{\circ}C$, pH 5-7, 1%, and 2% (v/v), respectively. Y. lipolytica 180 reduced surface tension when cultured on hydrocarbon substrates (1%, v/v), and the measured values of the surface tension were in the range of 51 to 57 dynes/cm. Both the cell free culture broth and cell debris of Y. lipolytica 180 were capable of emulsifying 2% (v/v) crude oil by itself. They were also capable of degrading crude oil (2%). The strain showed a cell surface hydrophobicity higher than 90%, which did not require hydrocarbon substrates for its induction. These results suggest that Y. lipolytica has high oil-degrading activity through its high emulsifying activity and cell hydrophobicity, and further indicate that the cell surface is responsible for the metabolism of aliphatic hydrocarbons.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2007

Microorganisms which can degrade organic compounds such as proteins, lipids, and cellulose in food wastewater, were isolated from food wastewater, livestock wastewater, earthworm, and etc. Among these, eleven strains which showed higher degrading activities against three organic compounds, were finally isolated, characterized, and identified. Nine strains were found to be Bacillus species, and other two were to be Enterobacter sp. and Pantoea agglomerans. The strains FWB-5 (Bacillus pumilus), FWB-6 (B. lichenisformis) and OD-4 (Pantoea agglomerans), isolated from food wastewater and livestock wastewater, respectively, showed higher three enzyme activities to organic compounds, especially to cellulose, compared to other strains. The optimal growth conditions for the great enzyme activities were at $37^{\circ}C$ with pH 7.0 for FWB-5 and OD-4 strains, whereas, these were at $25^{\circ}C$ with pH 7.0 for FWB-6 strain.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.320-326
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• 1996

To analyze the effects of host versus plasmid on survival of 2, 4-degrading bacteria in environmental samples, strains Pseudomonas cepacia/pJP4, Alcaligenes JMP228/pJP4, P. cepacia/p712, and Alcaligenes JMP228/p712 were separately inoculated into samples of field soil, paddy soil, lake water, and river water, and then the changes of their populations were measured. The strains used contained a 2, 4-D degradative plasmid, either pJP4 conferring fast-growing property to the host or p712 conferring slow-growing property, and were resistant to antibiotics such that the inoculated strains could be enumerated against the indigenous microbial populations. In sterile environmental samples, these strains were stably maintained at the levels used for inoculation, except in sterile paddy soil where Alcaligenes JMP228 strains died drapidly. In natural soil samples for four strains declined steadily with time, but in naturla water samples their polulations fell rapidly at the early phase and then remained almost constant. When the environmentla samples were treated with 2, 4-D, P. cepacia/pJP4 and P. cepacia/p712 maintained significant numbers, while Alcaligenes JMP228/pJP4 and Alcaligenes JMP228/p712 declined significantly in most of the samples. The results indicated that the survivability of genetically modified microorganisms could vary depending on the environments and that their abundance in the environments under s2, 4-D selection was markedly influenced by the nature of the 2, 4-D degradative plasmid as well as type of the host strain.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.342-349
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• 2017

Polylactic acid (PLA) has been highlighted as an alternative renewable polymer for the replacement of petroleum-based plastic materials, and is considered to be biodegradable. On the other hand, the biodegradation of PLA by terminal degraders, such as microorganisms, requires a lengthy period in the natural environment, and its mechanism is not completely understood. PLA biodegradation studies have been conducted using mainly undefined mixed cultures, but only a few bacterial strains have been isolated and examined. For further characterization of PLA biodegradation, in this study, the PLA-degrading bacteria from digester sludge were isolated and identified using a polymer film-based screening method. The enrichment of sludge on PLA granules was conducted with the serial transference of a subculture into fresh media for 40 days, and the attached biofilm was inoculated on a PLA film on an agar plate. 3D optical microscopy showed that the isolates physically degraded the PLA film due to bacterial degradation. 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the microbial colonies to be Pseudomonas sp. MYK1 and Bacillus sp. MYK2. The two isolates exhibited significantly higher specific gas production rates from PLA biodegradation compared with that of the initial sludge inoculum.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.694-699
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• 2014

Indigenous microorganisms play decisive roles in biodegradation. In this study, eighty strains of hydrocarbon-degrading microbes were isolated from Incheon Bay. Among them, 12 strains were selected by an oil film collapsing method. The bacterial strain 'Incheon9' was eventually selected based on its relatively higher lipase and emulsification activities, and was identified as Acinetobacter sp. (NCBI accession code: KF54854). The optimum condition for the growth and emulsification activity of Acinetobacter sp. Incheon9 was $20^{\circ}C$, pH 7, and 1% NaCl. The optimum time for the best production of biosurfactant was 72 hrs. The oil degradation ability of Acinetobacter sp. Incheon9 was investigated by measuring the residual oils in the culture medium by gas chromatography (FID). This research provides foundational data for eco-friendly environmental remediation by microorganisms.