• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.110-115
• /
• 2007

Electrochemically active bacteria were successfully enriched in an electrochemical cell using a positively poised working electrode. The positively poised working electrode (+0.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl) was used as an electron acceptor for enrichment and growth of electrochemically active bacteria. When activated sludge and synthetic wastewater were fed to the electrochemical cell, a gradual increase in amperometric current was observed. After a period of time in which the amperometric current was stabilized (generally 8 days), linear correlations between the amperometric signals from the electrochemical cell and added BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) concentrations were established. Cyclic voltammetry of the enriched electrode also showed prominent electrochemical activity. When the enriched electrodes were examined with electron microscopy and confocal scanning laser microscopy, a biofilm on the enriched electrode surface and bacterium-like particles were observed. These experimental results indicate that the electrochemical system in this study is a useful tool for the enrichment of an electrochemically active bacterial consortium and could be used as a novel microbial biosensor.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.590-598
• /
• 2011

Bacterial assimilation of $CO_2$ into stable biomolecules using electrochemical reducing power may be an effective method to reduce atmospheric $CO_2$ without fossil fuel combustion. For the enrichment of the $CO_2$-fixing bacteria using electrochemical reducing power as an energy source, a cylinder-type electrochemical bioreactor with a built-in anode compartment was developed. A graphite felt cathode modified with neutral red (NR-graphite cathode) was used as a solid electron mediator to induce bacterial cells to fix $CO_2$ using electrochemical reducing power. Bacterial $CO_2$ consumption was calculated based on the variation in the ratio of $CO_2$ to $N_2$ in the gas reservoir. $CO_2$ consumed by the bacteria grown in the electrochemical bioreactor (2,000 ml) reached a maximum of approximately 1,500 ml per week. Time-coursed variations in the bacterial community grown with the electrochemical reducing power and $CO_2$ in the mineral-based medium were analyzed via temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) of the 16S rDNA variable region. Some of the bacterial community constituents noted at the initial time disappeared completely, but some of them observed as DNA signs at the initial time were clearly enriched in the electrochemical bioreactor during 24 weeks of incubation. Finally, Alcaligenes sp. and Achromobacter sp., which are capable of autotrophically fixing $CO_2$, were enriched to major constituents of the bacterial community in the electrochemical bioreactor.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.52-57
• /
• 2007

A gas-circulating bioreactor was used for enrichment of autotrophic methanogens. Mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide (5:1) was used as a sole energy and carbon source. Anaerobic digestive sludge isolated from wastewater treatment system was inoculated into the gas-circulating bioreactor. The enrichment of two chemolithotrophic methanogens, Methanobacterium curvum and Methanobacterium oryzae was accomplished in the gas-circulating bioreactor. The enriched bacteria were cultivated in a bioreactor equipped with hollow-fiber hydrogen-supplying system (hollow-fiber bioreactor), and a hybrid-type bioreactor equipped with hollow-fiber hydrogen-supplying system and electrochemical redox control system. The methane productivity was maximally 30% (V/V) in the hollow-fiber bioreactors and 50% (V/V) in the hybrid-type bioreactor.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.46 no.8
• /
• pp.489-494
• /
• 2008

The effect of drawing rate on the electrochemical properties of 3003 Al alloys in 5 wt.% NaCl solution was investigated by electrochemical techniques (potentiodynamic polarization test, potentiostatic polarization test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)) and surface analyses (OM, SEM, EDS). Four kinds of automotive pipe materials were prepared (raw material, drawing rate = 5, 10, 15%). As the drawing rate of Al alloy tube increased, the pitting corrosion resistance increased due to the enrichment of Al oxides on the surface.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.19 no.12
• /
• pp.1665-1671
• /
• 2009

Anaerobic digestion sludge was cultivated in an electrochemical bioreactor (ECB) to enrich the hydrogenotrophic methanogens. A modified graphite felt cathode with neutral red (NR-cathode) was charged with electrochemical reducing power generated from a solar cell. The methane and carbon dioxide collected in a Teflon bag from the ECB were more than 80 ml/l of reactant/day and less than 20 ml/l of reactant/day, respectively, whereas the methane and carbon dioxide collected from a conventional bioreactor (CB) was around 40 ml/l of reactant/day, respectively. Moreover, the maximal volume ratios of methane to carbon dioxide (M/C ratio) collected in the Teflon bag from the ECB and CB were 7 and 1, respectively. The most predominant methanogens isolated from the CB on the $20^{th}$, $80^{th}$, and $150^{th}$ days of incubation were hydrogenotrophs. The methanogenic diversity analyzed by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) of the 16S rDNA variable region was higher in the ECB than in the CB. The DNA extracted from the TGGE bands was more than 95% homologous with hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the ECB, but was an aceticlastic methanogen in the CB. In conclusion, the ECB was demonstrated as a useful system for enriching hydrogenotrophic methanogens and increasing the M/C ratio of the gas product.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.258-262
• /
• 2009

The composition and semiconducting properties of the passive films formed on Ni- (15, 30)Cr-5Mo alloys in pH 8.5 buffer solution were examined. The depth concentration profile of passive films formed on Ni-(15, 30)Cr-5Mo in pH 8.5 buffer solution showed that Mo enhances the enrichment of Cr. The Mott-Schottky plot for the passive film on Ni-(15, 30)Cr- 5Mo closely resembled that for the film on Cr, whereas those for the less Cr-enriched film on Mo-free alloys showed similar behavior to that for the film on Ni. The acceptor density was reduced by increasing Cr content in Ni-(15, 30)Cr-(0, 5)Mo alloys, but addition of Mo considerably increased the acceptor density.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.14-21
• /
• 2019

Supported liquid membrane process usually is used for recovering or enrichment of valuable metals in the industrial wastewater. But, even if the metals in the wastewater was separated with high chemical selectivity, it cannot be enough concentrated since separation performance of supported liquid membrane (SLM) process is limited by concentration gradient between feed solution and stripping solution. If metal concentration in the stripping solution to be enough low, transport of metal through membrane can be accomplishment constantly. Therefore, Electrodialysis (ED) has been placed after SLM process and the stripping solution of SLM was used as the feed solution for the ED process. Transport of ions in the solutions is successfully performed by ED process. Thus, the metal concentration in the stripping solution does not rise as to stop ion transport. Besides, valuable metals easily are concentrated by ED process for re-use. In this study, effects of operation parameters like initial Cd(II) concentration, HCl concentration in the feed solution of SLM and applied voltage are investigated on separation efficiency, flux and permeability of the both processes. As the feed solution concentration increased, all performance values has increased. When initial concentration of 100 mg/L is used, separation performances (SP) are 55% and 70%, for SLM and consecutive process, respectively. The best HCl concentration in the feed solution of SLM has determined as 2 M, in this conditions SP are 64% and 72%, for SLM and consecutive process, respectively. With increased of applied voltage on ED process, SP of the consecutive process has been raised from 72% to 83%. According to the obtained experimental data, consecutive process has better separation performance than SLM. When the separation performances of both processes were compared for the same operating conditions, it was determined higher the separation efficiency, permeability and flux values of the consecutive process, 8%, 9% and %10.6, respectively. Consequently, the use of the consecutive process increases the performance efficiency of both processes. The consecutive process studied has quite a good chemical separation efficiency, and enrichment capability. Moreover, this process requires few water and energy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.8
• /
• pp.1230-1239
• /
• 2010

Five bacterial species, capable of degrading the recalcitrant organic compounds (ROCs) diethyleneglycol monomethylether (DGMME), 1-amino-2-propanol (APOL), 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), diethyleneglycol monoethylether (DGMEE), tetraethyleneglycol (TEG), and tetrahydrothiophene 1,1-dioxide (sulfolane), were isolated from an enrichment culture. Cupriavidus sp. catabolized $93.5{\pm}1.7$ mg/l of TEG, $99.3{\pm}1.2$ mg/l of DGMME, $96.1{\pm}1.6$ mg/l of APOL, and $99.5{\pm}0.5$ mg/l of NMP in 3 days. Acineobacter sp. catabolized 100 mg/l of DGMME, $99.9{\pm}0.1$ mg/l of NMP, and 100 mg/l of DGMEE in 3 days. Pseudomonas sp.3 catabolized $95.7{\pm}1.2$ mg/l of APOL and $99.8{\pm}0.3$ mg/l of NMP. Paracoccus sp. catabolized $98.3{\pm}0.6$ mg/l of DGMME and $98.3{\pm}1.0$ mg/l of DGMEE in 3 days. A maximum $43{\pm}2.0$ mg/l of sulfolane was catabolized by Paracoccus sp. in 3 days. When a mixed culture composed of the five bacterial species was applied to real wastewater containing DGMME, APOL, NMP, DGMEE, or TEG, 92~99% of each individual ROC was catabolized within 3 days. However, at least 9 days were required for the complete mineralization of sulfolane. Bacterial community diversity, analyzed on the basis of the TGGE pattern of 16S rDNA extracted from viable cells, was found to be significantly reduced in a conventional bioreactor after 6 days of incubation. However, biodiversity was maintained after 12 days of incubation in an electrochemical bioreactor. In conclusion, the electrochemical reduction reaction enhanced the diversity of the bacterial community and actively catabolized sulfolane.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.04a
• /
• pp.88-92
• /
• 2005

Aptamer is the single-stranded oligonucleotide which binds to various target molecules such as proteins, peptides, lipids and small organic molecules with high affinity and specificity. DNA aptamers specific for the $17{\beta}-estradiol$ were selected by SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) process from a random DNA library. These DNA aptamers have a high affinity to $17{\beta}-estradiol$ as an endocrine disrupting chemical. Nanowell and $200{\mu}m$ gold electrode were used as substrate for DNA aptamer immobilization and electrochemical analysis. Especially, nanowell gold electrode was fabricated by e-beam lithography. The size of single nanowell is 130nm and 40,000 nanowells were deposited on one gold electrode. The immobilization method was based on the interaction between the biotinylated aptamer and streptavidin deposited on gold electrode previously. Immobilization procedure was optimized by surface plasma resonance (SPR) and electrochemical analysis. After the immobilization of DNA aptamer on streptavidin modified gold electrode, $17{\beta}-estradiol$ solution was treated on aptamer immobilized gold electrode. The current of gold electrode was decreased by the binding of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ to DNA aptamer immobilized on gold electrode. However, in negative control experiments of 1-aminoanthraquinone and 2-methoxynaphthalene, the current was rarely decreased. And more sensitive data was obtained from nanowell gold electrode comparing with $200{\mu}m$ gold electrode.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.13 no.5 s.58
• /
• pp.327-335
• /
• 2006

In the development of new hydrogen absorbing materials for a next generation of metal hydride electrodes for rechargeable batteries, metastable Mg-Ni-based compounds find currently special attention. Amor phous-nanocrystalline $Mg_{63}Ni_{30}Y_7$ and $Mg_{50}Ni_{30}Y_{20}$ alloys were produced by mechanical alloying and melt-spinning and characterized by means of XRD, TEM and DSC. On basis of mechanically alloyed Mg-Ni-Y powders, complex hydride electrodes were fabricated and their electrochemical behaviour in 6M KOH (pH=14,8) was investigated. The electrodes made from $Mg_{63}Ni_{30}Y_7$ powders, which were prepared under use of a SPEX shaker mill, with a major fraction of nanocrystalline phase reveal a higher electrochemical activity far hydrogen reduction and a higher maximum discharge capacity (247 mAh/g) than the electrodes from alloy powder with predominantly amorphous microstructure (216 mAh/g) obtained when using a Retsch planetary ball mill at low temperatures. Those discharge capacities are higher that those fur nanocrystalline $Mg_2Ni$ electrodes. However, the cyclic stability of those alloy powder electrodes was low. Therefore, fundamental stability studies were performed on $Mg_{63}Ni_{30}Y_7$ and $Mg_{50}Ni_{30}Y_{20}$ ribbon samples in the as-quenched state and after cathodic hydrogen charging by means of anodic and cathodic polarisation measurements. Gradual oxidation and dissolution of nickel governs the anodic behaviour before a passive state is attained. A stabilizing effect of higher fractions of yttrium in the alloy on the passivation was detected. During the cathodic hydrogen charging process the alloys exhibit a change in the surface state chemistry, i.e. an enrichment of nickel-species, causing preferential oxidation and dissolution during subsequent anodization. The effect of chemical pre-treatments in 1% HF and in $10\;mg/l\;YCl_3/1%\;H_2O_2$ solution on the surface degradation processes was investigated. A HF treatment can improve their anodic passivation behavior by inhibiting a preferential nickel oxidation-dissolution at low polarisation, whereas a $YCl_3/H_2O_2$ treatment has the opposite effect. Both pre-treatment methods lead to an enhancement of cathodically induced surface degradation processes.