• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.175-182
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• 1993

Volatilization of toxic heavy metals, especially, metal chlorides at elevated temperatures in oxidation conditions was observed using a thermogravimetric furnace since such metal chlorides used to be a cause for the disease of industrial workers by their toxicity and high volatile extent. Most of tested metal chloride compounds were evaporated or decomposed into gas phase at elevated temperatures ranged from 200~90$0^{\circ}C$, while CrCl$_3$ and NiC1$_2$became stable with converting into oxide forms. A kinetic model for evaporation/condensation could predict maximum evaporation flux and the calculated values were compared with real evaporation flux. The ratio of two fluxes could be explained as the fraction of impinging gas molecules to the condensing surface( $\alpha$ ) and obtained in the range of 10$^{-3}$ ~10$^{-9}$ for the experimented toxic heavy metal chlorides. This ratio might be used to define the volatile extent or toxicity of such toxic metal compounds. The schemes to avoid volatilization of toxic heavy metals Into the atmosphere were suggested as follows ; 1 ) controlling the compositions of metals and Chlorine produced substances( such as PVC ) in the treated materials using a reverse estimation from regulatory limit and characteristics of a processing facility, 2) Installation of wet type devices such as a scrubber for condensing the metal compounds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1522-1542
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• 2019

To adapt to environmental changes and to maintain cellular homeostasis, microorganisms adjust the intracellular concentrations of biochemical compounds, including metal ions; these are essential for the catalytic function of many enzymes in cells, but excessive amounts of essential metals and heavy metals cause cellular damage. Metal-responsive transcriptional regulators play pivotal roles in metal uptake, pumping out, sequestration, and oxidation or reduction to a less toxic status via regulating the expression of the detoxification-related genes. The sensory and regulatory functions of the metalloregulators have made them as attractive biological parts for synthetic biology, and the exceptional sensitivity and selectivity of metalloregulators toward metal ions have been used in heavy metal biosensors to cope with prevalent heavy metal contamination. Due to their importance, substantial efforts have been made to characterize heavy metal-responsive transcriptional regulators and to develop heavy metal-sensing biosensors. In this review, we summarize the biochemical data for the two major metalloregulator families, SmtB/ArsR and MerR, to describe their metal-binding sites, specific chelating chemistry, and conformational changes. Based on our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms, previously developed metal biosensors are examined to point out their limitations, such as high background noise and a lack of well-characterized biological parts. We discuss several strategies to improve the functionality of the metal biosensors, such as reducing the background noise and amplifying the output signal. From the perspective of making heavy metal biosensors, we suggest that the characterization of novel metalloregulators and the fabrication of exquisitely designed genetic circuits will be required.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 1991

Several arsenic compound-resistant bacteria were isolated from Jung-Rang stream. The isolates, D-3, D-12, and D-14 were characterized phenotypically and genetically, and identified as Serratia liquefaciens, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. A plasmid of 67kb was found in Klebsiella oxytoca D-12 and designated as pMH12. Transfer of this plasmid from D-12 to E. coli HB101 was occurred, and the resulting transconjugant strains expressed the same level of heavy metal resistance as the donor strain. The physical presence of this plasmid in transconjugant was detected with agarose gel electrophoresis. Arsenite-sensitive derivatives of isolate D-12 were obtained with Mitomycin C treatment which cured pMH12. Antibiotics and heavy metal resistances were also examined to be used as a proper marker for the isolates in gene cloning. Isolate D-12 has resistance to several heavy metal ions such as $Cd^{2+}$ , $Zn^{2+}$ and $Hg^{ 2+}$ Also, all the other arsenite resistant isolates showed resistance to several heavy metal ions and antibiotics.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.124-129
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• 1997

This study was performed to develop the biological treatment technology of wastewater polluted with heavy metals. Heavy metal-tolerant microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas putida, P. aeruginosa, P. chlororaphis and P. stutzeri possessing the ability to accumulate cadmium, lead, zinc and copper, respectively, were isolated from industrial wastewater and mine wastewater polluted with various heavy metals. The effect of several external factors, such as temperature, pH and heavy metal compounds on heavy metal accumulation in the cells was investigated. The amount of heavy metal accumulation into cells according to the kind of heavy metal compound was slightly increased in the case of the heavy metal compound with -nitrate group, but generally, there is little change according to the kind of compound in the amount of heavy metal accumulation. The amount of heavy metal accumulation according to the precultured time was increased in the case of the cell precultured for 24 hours, but generally the precultured time did not affect to the amount of heavy metal accumulation. Heavy metal accumulation into cells was affected by several external factors, such as temperature and pH. The optimum temperature and optimum pH of the accumulation of heavy metal into cells were $20{\sim}37^{\circ}C$ and pH $6{\sim}8$, respectively. By increasing the concentration of each heavy metal-tolerant microorganism in the solution, the total amount of heavy metal accumulated was increased, whereas the amount of heavy metal accumulated per cell(mg, heavy metal/g, dry cells) was decreased. These results indicated that the amount of heavy metal accumulated was not proportional to the concentration of microorganisms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2001

Three Pseudomonas strains (Bk8, Bk9, Bk10) selected from soil for their ability to degrade herbicide diuron were tested for their heavy metal resistance. The growth of these catabolic strains on a minimal medium with various concentrations of $Cd^{2+},\;Zn^{2+},\;Ni^{2+}$, and $Hg^{2+}$ revealed a minimal effect on the carbon source for the inhibitory effect of the metals. One of these strains, namely, Bk8, exhibited a high resistance to the heavy metals as compared to the two other strains. This strain harbors plasmid pBk8 (110 kb) and contains at least fur determinants encoding heavy metal resistance. Nickel and zinc resistance are encoded by genes located on the chromosome, while cadmium and mercury resistance are on plasmid pBk8. Accordingly, the characteristics of strain Bk8 suggest that it would be useful in the bioremediation of aromatic compounds in the presence of toxic heavy metals as co-contaminants.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.504-508
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• 1998

Experimental investigation on the adsorption of heavy metal confounds as $Fe^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Ni^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, $Cd^{2+}$, $Cr^{6+}$ using chitosan was carried out. The adsorption of each component of heavy metal compounds was measured by Atomic Absorption apparatus. The range of optimum pH for the removal rates of heavy metal compounds was found pH 7.0~9.0. The maximum time for the removal rate of $Fe^{2+}$ was observed about 15 min. The maximum time for the removal raters of $Cu^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Ni^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, $Cd^{2+}$, and $Cr^{6+}$ was observed about 25 min. The adsorption rates of heavy metal compounds by chitosan have been found in the order of $Fe^{2+}>Cu^{2+}>Mn^{2+}>Zn^{2+}>Ni^{2+}>Pb^{2+}>Cd^{2+}>Cr^{6+}$.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1591-1600
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• 2015

The response of the freshwater microalga, Chlorella vulgaris, to heavy metal stress was examined based on chlorophyll fluorescence analysis to assess the toxic effects of heavy metals in freshwater ecosystems. When toxic effects were analyzed using regular chlorophyll fluorescence analysis, photosystem II activity($F_v/F_m$) decreased significantly when exposed to $Cu^{2+}$ and $Hg^{2+}$ for 12 h, and decreased in the order of $Hg^{2+}>Cu^{2+}>Cd^{2+}>Ni^{2+}$ when exposed for 24h. The effective photochemical quantum yield(${\phi}{\prime}_{PSII}$), chlorophyll fluorescence decrease ratio($R_{Fd}$), minimal fluorescence yield($F_o$), and non-photochemical quenching(NPQ), but not photochemical quenching(qP), responded sensitively to $Hg^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Cd^{2+}$. These results suggest that $F_v/F_m$, as well as ${\phi}{\prime}_{PSII}$, $R_{Fd}$, $F_o$, and NPQ could be used to assess the effects of heavy metal ions in freshwater ecosystems. However, because many types of heavy metal ions and toxic compounds co-occur under natural conditions, it is difficult to assess heavy metal toxicity in freshwater ecosystems. When Chlorella was exposed to heavy metal ions for 12 or 24h, $F_v/F_m$ and maximal fluorescence yield($F_m$) changed in response to $Hg^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ based on image analysis. However, assessing quantitatively the toxic effects of several heavy metal ions is challenging.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2014

In this study, Krill Eupausia superba oil was extracted using different solvents and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-$CO_2$). During SC-$CO_2$ extraction, the pressure was set at 40 MPa and temperatures ranged from $40^{\circ}C$ to $55^{\circ}C$. We examined the differences in volatile compounds and safety profiles among extraction methods. Volatile compounds were determined using the thermal desorption system integrated with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Heavy metal content was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). According to our results 10 volatile compounds were identified in krill sample. After SC-$CO_2$ extraction of oil, the concentrations of volatile compounds decreased, but increased after solvent extraction. In krill, heavy metal concentrations remained within the permissible limit. Moreover, Zn and Fe which have health benefits were detected at high concentrations. During a 90 days storage period at different temperatures, microbial activity was found to be lowest in SC-$CO_2$ extracted residues. Thus, the quality of krill oil and the residues obtained using SC-$CO_2$ extraction was higher and the oil was safer than those obtained using conventional solvent extraction. These results can be applied to the food industry to maintain high quality krill products.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.1001-1007
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• 2003

Metal ions contamination may inhibit microorganisms involved in the biodegradation of organic compounds and affect biodegradation rates. Therefore, it is likely that bioremediation of xenobiotics-contaminated soils and waste will require inoculation with efficient biodegrading microbial communities, with capabilities of being resistant to heavy metals as well. Two different transconjugants (Pseudomonas sp. KMl2TC and P. aeruginosa TC) were constructed by conjugation experiments. Results on MIC, induction and growth inhibition strongly indicated that arsenic-resistant plasmid, pKM20, could be mobilized, and the newly acquired phenotype of pKM20 was not only expressed but also well regulated, resulting in newly acquired resistances to $As^{5+},\;As^{3+},\;and\;Sb^{3+} in\;addition\;to\;Cd^{2+},\;Zn^{2+},\;and\;Hg^{2+}$. The phenol- degradation efficiencies of Pseudomonas sp. KMl2TC were maintained significantly even at high heavy metal concentrations at which these efficiencies of P. aeruginosa TC were completely impaired. The results in this study on the effects of heavy metals on phenol degradation, especially after conjugation, are the first ever reported. All the results described in this study encourage to establish a goal of making "designer biocatalysts" which could degrade certain xenobiotics in the area contaminated with multiple heavy metals.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 1996

Chitosan itself has been prepared using chitin, one of the most abundant compounds in nature, as a starting material. We have synthesized the water-soluble chitosan derivative, N-dithiocarboxy chitosan sodium salt, through the reaction of water-soluble chitosan with carbon disulfide in the presence of alkali metal hydroxide. To elucidate this natural polymer capacity of adsorbing heavy metal ions, we have performed adsorption experiments using the water-soluble chitosan derivative various average molecular weight and of different percent contents of sulfur. The effect of pH, adsorption time and temperature on adsorption efficiency was also studied. The adsorbent derived from water-soluble chitosan of average molecular weight ranging $9,000{\sim}120,000$ was shown to have the highest capacity of adsorbing heavy metal ions. On the whole, adsorbing efficiency was increased as the reaction time goes longer and also increased as the reaction temperture goes higer in temperture range of $15^{\circ}C{\sim}45^{\circ}C$. The adsorption capacity at various pH, however, was appeared to vary depending on the heavy metal ions studied Judging from these finding, water-soluble N-dithiocarboxy chitosan sodium salt, a derivative of a biodegradable nature polymer, is believed to be a potential adsorbent for heavy metal ions since it not only is shown to lower the concentration of heavy metal ions to below the drainage quality standard, but also it would not cause acidification and hardening of soil which is one of the detrimental effects of synthetic macromolecular adsorbents present.