• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.259-266
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• 1993

This experiment was carried out to the effect of population densities on the growth reproduction, cast production of the earthworm and chemical composition of worm casts. The population densities of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 individuals of the earthworm fed with cow manure was studied in rearing box($6,400cm^3$) and fertility stage during a period of 60 days. The results were summarized as follows 1. Survival rates(SR) of the earthworms had significantly positive correlated with increasing rate(IR). But, survival rates(SR) and increasing rate(IR) had significantly negative correlated with reproductive efficiency(RE). 2. The ranges of optimum population densities estimated were $42.7cm^3-128.0cm^3/worm$. 3. The cast production estimated were 36.5mg-80.9mg/day/worm grown in optimum population densities(50-150 worms/$6,400cm^3$). 4. The earthworm castings are an excellent soil conditioning material with a high chemical composition and their physical properties.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.423-433
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• 2005

This study was conducted to develope efficient vermicomposting using of different mixture ratios of cow manure and sawdust by feeding these to earthworm and then by studying the growth and reproductive efficiency of earthworm, and the chemical composition of worm cast and its production. The results are summarized as follows. C/N ratio of feed was $20.43{\sim}45.20$ and it increased according to the higher proportion of sawdust, and survival of earthworm was $97.6{\sim}100%$. Number of young worms were significantly higher in 30 and 40% addition of sawdust (number of 899.6 and 927.8) than number of 769 of real cow manure treatment (P<0.05). Fresh weight of young worms was $8.00{\sim}14.35g$ and it was significantly higher in 40% addition of sawdust than other treatments(P<0.05). The cast production of earthworm was showed in the tendency of becoming lower in the 40% addition of sawdust than in $10{\sim}30%$ addition of that, but digested matters were significantly higher in $10{\sim}40%$ addition of sawdust than real cow manure treatment(P<0.05).

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.281-287
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• 2007

Microorganisms were isolated from earthworm intestine and examined for their ability to degrade 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (MNP), a main degradation product of the insecticide fenitrothion. An isolate that showed the best degradation of MNP was selected for further study. The 16S rRNA analysis showed that the isolate belongs to the genus of Burkholderia, close to phenanthrene-degrading Burkholderia sp. S4.9, and is named Burkholderia sp. SH-1. When time-course degradation of MNP by SH-1 was examined by high performance liquid chromatographic analysis, almost complete degradation of MNP was observed within 26 h. Colony forming unit value assays indicated that the isolate SH-1 was capable of utilizing MNP as a sole carbon source. SH-1 could also degrade p-nitrophenol (PNP) but could not degrade ortho-substituted nitroaromatics such as 2,4-, 2,6- and 2,5-dinitrophenol. Catechol was detected as the main degration product of MNP and PNP. SH-1 was also found in the soil from which earthworms were obtained. These results suggest that the dispersal of Burkholderia sp. SH-1 into different environment with the aid of earthworms is likely to play a role in bioremediation of the soil contaminated with MNP.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.105-132
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• 2012

The saga of Megascolides orthostichon (Schmarda, 1861)-the first native worm described from Australasia-continues as its type-locality is unequivocally returned from Hobart, Tasmania to Mt Wellington, Auckland where a brief survey failed to unearth it. Since it has not been seen for 150 yrs, it may qualify under NZTCS or IUCN classification as 'Nationally Critical' if not 'Extinct'. New reports are for exotic Megascolecidae Anisochaeta kiwi sp. nov. and A. kiwi mihi sub-sp. nov. plus addition to the NZ faunal list of Australian Anisochaeta macleayi (Fletcher, 1889) that, due to its wide distribution in Australia and now New Zealand, may be a candidate model-species suitably resilient for eco-toxicological culture and monitoring. For holarctic Lumbricidae, new records are of Dendrobaena attemsi (Michaelsen, 1903) and the Murchieona muldali (Omodeo, 1956) morph or subspecies of M. minuscula (Rosa, 1906), neither lumbricid previously uncovered in Asia/Australasia. Also found for the first time outside its East Asian homeland is Eisenia japonica (Michaelsen, 1892) (which is compared to Japanese E. japonica hiramoto sub-sp. nov. and to E. anzac Blakemore, 2011). Records of these exotics plus recent new native species described by the author-including two, Rhododrilus mangamingi and Deinodrilus orcus spp. novae, herein-raise the numbers of megadriles known from New Zealand to 228 (sub-)species in five families. Preliminary mtDNA COI sequence barcodes are presented. Genus Tokea Benham, 1904 is revived on its lack of dorsal pores, losing or gaining some species with Megascolides M'Coy, 1878. An updated checklist of all 228 New Zealand taxa is appended.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.465-474
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• 2014

This study was performed to investigate the inhibitory effects of brown algae extracts on histamine production in mackerel muscle. First, antimicrobial activities of brown algae extracts against Morganella morganii were investigated using a disk diffusion method. An ethanol extract of Ecklonia cava (ECEE) exhibited strong antimicrobial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ECEE was 2 mg/ml. Furthermore, the brown algae extracts were examined for their ability to inhibit crude histidine decarboxylase (HDC) of M. morganii. The ethanol extract of Eisenia bicyclis (EBEE) and ECEE exhibited significant inhibitory activities (19.82% and 33.79%, respectively) at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. To obtain the phlorotannin dieckol, ECEE and EBEE were subjected to liquid-liquid extraction, silica gel column chromatography, and HPLC. Dieckol exhibited substantial inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 0.61 mg/ml, and exhibited competitive inhibition. These extracts were also tested on mackerel muscle. The viable cell counts and histamine production in mackerel muscle inoculated with M. morganii treated with ${\geq}2.5 $ MIC of ECEE (weight basis) were highly inhibited compared with the untreated sample. Furthermore, treatment of crude HD-Cinoculated mackerel muscle with 0.5% ECEE and 0.5% EBEE (weight basis), which exhibited excellent inhibitory activities against crude HDC, reduced the overall histamine production by 46.29% and 56.89%, respectively, compared with the untreated sample. Thus, these inhibitory effects of ECEE and EBEE should be helpful in enhancing the safety of mackerel by suppressing histamine production in this fish species.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.111-117
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• 2021

The study was aimed at developing an alternative therapeutic agent against acne vulgaris, one of the most common skin diseases, to meet the continuing demand for new therapies. Acne vulgaris is often associated with the acne-causing bacteria such as Cutibacterium acnes. To investigate the safety of agents against acne vulgaris, we evaluated the potential antibacterial activities of edible seaweeds against C. acnes in Korea. Forty-one edible seaweeds, including the brown, green, and red varieties, were selected for the antibacterial test. In comparison with other seaweeds, 70% ethanolic extracts of brown seaweeds, such as Cladophora wrightiana var. minor, Eisenia bicyclis, Ecklonia cava, Ishige foliacea, Ishige okamurae, Sargassum filicinum, and Sargassum miyabei Yendo, exhibited potential antibacterial activity against C. acnes with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging between 64 and 128 ㎍/mL. To investigate the active anti-acne agents and to enhance our understanding of the antibacterial activities against C. acnes, further solvent-fractionation experiments are warranted. The findings imply that brown seaweeds can be a potential source of natural agents against acne vulgaris.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.793-798
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• 2006

We investigated the effects on the cytotoxicity against several cancer cells of the hydrolysis and molecular weight fractionation of crude laminaran from E. bicyclis, a brown seaweed collected from Uleung island in Korea, was extracted with boiling water and then crude laminaran was prepared by ethanol precipitation of extract obtained after elimination of calcium alginate by calcium chloride. Crude laminaran was hydrolyzed by enzyme (Econase CE), acid (0.1 N HCl) and autoclaving ($121^{\circ}C$, 180 min), and the molecular weight fractions by ultrafiltration to generate molecular weight fractions. Total sugar and sulfate contents of hydrolyzed laminaran were 72.3 and 3.5% (enzyme hydrolysate), 68.5 and 3.0% (acid hydrolysate), 70.2 and 3.2% (autoclaved), and monosaccharides of which consisted of glucose (74.7-78.5%), mannose (9.9-11.5%), galactose (8.5-9.6%) and fucose (3.1-4.5%), respectively. When the cytotoxicity of hydrolyzed laminaran on SNU-1, HeLa and SW cells was evaluated by MTT assay, growth-inhibitory activity of the enzyme hydrolysate against cancer cells was higher than that of acid hydrolysate or autoclaved laminaran. Furthermore, the fraction at a molecular weight range of 10 to 50 kDa revealed higher anti-proliferative activities. The $IC_{50}$ values of 10-50 kDa fraction at a molecular weight range of 10 to 50 kDa revealed higher anti-proliferative activities. The $IC_{50}$ values of 10-50 kDa fractions on SNU-1, HeLa and SW cells were 60.4, 58.6 and 53.9 ${\mu}g/mL$ for enzymatic hydrolysate, 75.6, 73.5 and 77.4 ${\mu}g/mL$ for acid hydrolysate, and 61.7, 68.2 and 60.8 ${\mu}g/mL$ for autoclaved, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2007

The toxicities of contaminated soils with 8 consecutive year applications of three levels (12.5, 25.0, and $50.0t\;dry\;matter\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$) of four organic sludge [municipal sewage sludge (MSS), industrial sewage sludge (ISS), alcohol fermentation processing sludge (AFPS) and leather processing sludge (LPS)] on earthworm (Eisenia fetida) were examined by using microcosm container in the laboratory. Results were compared with those of pig manure compost (PMC) treated soil. In tests with three treatment levels (12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 t per plot), ISS treated soil showed higher contents of Cu (18.9~26.2 fold), Cr (7.7~34.7 fold), and Ni (14.8~18.8 fold) at 8 years post treatment, than PMC treated soil. LPS treated soil showed higher contents of Cr (35.7~268.0 fold) and Ni (4.5~7.6 fold) than PMC treated soil. There were no great differences in heavy metal contents among MSS, AFPS, and PMC treated soils. In these contaminated soils, earthworm mortalities of MSS and AFPS treated soils at 8 weeks post-exposure were similar to those of PMC treated soil regardless of each treatment level. Toxic effect (26.7~96.7 mortality) on the ISS and LPS treated soils was significantly higher than one of PMC treated soil, with an exception of LPS soil treated with 25.0 t per plot. At 16 weeks post-exposure, earthworm mortalities of AFPS' 12.5 and 25.0 t treated soils were similar to those of PMC treated soil. Toxic effect (53.3~100 mortality) on the 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 t treated soils of MSS, ISS and LPS, and AFPS' 50.0 t treated soils was significantly higher than those of PMC treated soil. The data suggested that the 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 t of MSS, ISS and LPS, and AFPS' 50.0 t treated soils were evaluated to have toxicity on earthworm.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.290-296
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• 2015

The antioxidant and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activities of 10 kinds of seaweeds Ecklonia cava (EC), Ecklonia stolonifera (ES), Eisenia bicyclis (EB), Capsosiphon fulvescens (CF), Sargassum fulvellum (SF), Undaria pinnatifida (UP), Sargassum thunbergii (ST), Codium fragile (CFr), Hizikia fusiformis (HF), and Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) were investigated. Among all the tested seaweed extracts, the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the EB extract were highest 150.81 mg/g and 77.02 mg/g, respectively. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging abilities of the EB ethanol extract (1 mg/mL) were 86.26% and 99.71%, respectively, and its SOD-like activity and reducing power were 21.34% and 1.710 ($OD_{700}$). The ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activities of the EC, EB, and ST were above 98% at the 0.1 mg/mL concentration. These results suggest that seaweed extracts effectively prevent the what of antioxidants and decrease the blood glucose level, and may be used to develop various functional products.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2006

The effects of the mixture ratios of swine manure and food wastes when vermicomposed on earthworm(Eisenia foefida) growth, the production amounts and the chemical properties of casts for plant growth media were evaluated to optimal mixture ratio. Earthworms were grown in swine manure, substituted with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 50% and 100% food wastes. All of earthworm grown in swine manure substituted with 60%, 80%, and 100% food wastes died, therefore the process of swine manure substituted with 60%, 80%, and 100% food wastes by vermicomposting were impossible in this experiment. Worm cast produced from swine manure substituted with 0%, 20% and 40% food wastes after vermicomposting sufficiently contained required quantities of available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable magnesium, and cation exchange capacity. The survival rates of earthworm in swine manure substituted with 0% and 40% food wastes was significantly higher than those in swine manure substituted with 20%, 40% food wastes. Casts weight and proportion of casts weight in 100% swine manure were significantly higher than those in swine manure substituted with 20% food wastes, but was no significant difference between those in swine manure substituted with 40% food wastes. Therefore 100% swine manure was estimated to be superior than the others treatments. However an adequate mixture ratio of food wastes for processing mixture of swine manure by vermicomposting was estimated to be 40%. Because there was no significant difference in mean flesh weight, increasing rate, casts weight, proportion of casts weight, and reduction rate of volatile solids among 3 treatments and survival rate and conversion efficiency(CE) in swine manure with substituted 40% food wastes were significantly higher than the other treatments.