• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.231-240
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• 2002

Microbial metal reduction influences the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and metals as well as plays an important role in the bioremediation of metals, radionuclides, and organic contaminants. The use of bacteria to facilitate the production of magnetite nanoparticles and the formation of carbonate minerals may provide new biotechnological processes for material synthesis and carbon sequestration. Metal-reducing bacteria were isolated from a variety of extreme environments, such as deep terrestrial subsurface, deep marine sediments, water near Hydrothemal vents, and alkaline ponds. Metal-reducing bacteria isolated from diverse extreme environments were able to reduce Fe(III), Mn(IV), Cr(VI), Co(III), and U(VI) using short chain fatty acids and/or hydrogen as the electron donors. These bacteria exhibited diverse mineral precipitation capabilities including the formation of magnetite ($Fe_3$$O_4$), siderite ($FeCO_3$), calcite ($CaCO_3$), rhodochrosite ($MnCO_3$), vivianite [$Fe_3$($PO_4$)$_2$ .$8H_2$O], and uraninite ($UO_2$). Geochemical and environmental factors such as atmospheres, chemical milieu, and species of bacteria affected the extent of Fe(III)-reduction as well as the mineralogy and morphology of the crystalline iron mineral phases. Thermophilic bacteria use amorphous Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide plus metals (Co, Cr, Ni) as an electron acceptor and organic carbon as an electron donor to synthesize metal-substituted magnetite. Metal reducing bacteria were capable of $CO_2$conversion Into sparingly soluble carbonate minerals, such as siderite and calcite using amorphous Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide or metal-rich fly ash. These results indicate that microbial Fe(III)-reduction may not only play important roles in iron and carbon biogeochemistry in natural environments, but also be potentially useful f3r the synthesis of submicron-sized ferromagnetic materials.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.62-72
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• 2015

This study investigates the in-situ implementation of bio-regenerated iron mineral catalyst to remove explosive compounds in ground water at a military shooting range in operation. A bio-regenerated iron mineral catalyst was synthesized using lepidocrocite (iron-bearing soil mineral), iron-reducing bacteria Shewanella putrefaciens CN32, and electron mediator (riboflavin) in the culture medium. This catalyst was then injected periodically in the ground to build a redox active zone acting like permeable reactive barrier through injection wells constructed at a live fire military shooting range. Ground water and core soils were sampled periodically for analysis of explosive compounds, mainly RDX and its metabolites, along with toxicity analysis and REDOX potential measurement. Results suggested that a redox active zone was formed in the subsurface in which contaminated ground water flows through. Concentration of RDX as well as toxicity (% inhibition) of ground water decreased in the downstream compared to those in the upstream while concentration of RDX reduction products increased in the downstream.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.16-24
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• 2014

To test the potential effects of extracellular electron shuttles (EES) on the rate and extent of heavy metal release from contaminated soils during microbial iron reduction, we created anaerobic batch systems with anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) as a surrogate of EES, and with contaminated soils as mixed iron (hydr)oxides and microbial sources. Two types of soils were tested: Zn-contaminated soil A and As/Pb-contaminated soil B. In soil A, the rate of iron reduction was fastest in the presence of AQDS and > 3500 mg/L of total Fe(II) was produced within 2 d. This suggests that indigenous microorganisms can utilize AQDS as EES to stimulate iron reduction. In the incubations with soil B, the rate and extent of iron reduction did not increase in the presence of AQDS likely because of the low pH (< 5.5). In addition, less than 2000 mg/L of total Fe(II) was produced in soil B within 52 d suggesting that iron reduction by subsurface microorganisms in soil B was not as effective as that in soil A. Relatively high amount of As (~500 mg/L) was released to the aqueous phase during microbial iron reduction in soil B. The release of As might be due to the reduction of As-associated iron (hydr)oxides and/or direct enzymatic reduction of As(V) to As(III) by As-reducing microorganisms. However, given that Pb in liquid phase was < 0.3 mg/L for the entire experiment, the microbial reduction As(V) to As(III) by As-reducing microorganisms has most likely occurred in this system. This study suggests that heavy metal release from contaminated soils can be strongly controlled by subsurface microorganisms, soil pH, presence of EES, and/or nature of heavy metals.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.109-112
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• 2000

Long chain fatty acids (LCFA) are potential inhibitors of bacteria involved in anaerobic digestion because of their surface activity. Precipitation of long-chain fatty acids with iron can improve the anaerobic degradation due to their precipitation and reducing surface properties. Degradation of stearic acid was improved in the presence of iron (II). The methane production was increased 1.6 times as compared to control. Iron-containing soil was applied for degradation of vegetable oil as model case. The methane production was increased 1.5 times as compared to control. Yield of methane production was 0.09 and 0.06L/g COD in experiment and control respectively. Optimum COD/Fe ratio was found 20 mg/mg. Iron (II) can be produced in the treatment system from iron (III) hydroxide or iron containing minerals.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.552-559
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• 1997

Fe (III) impurities in clay could be microbially removed by inhabitant dissimilatory Fe (III) reducing microorganisms. Insoluble Fe (III) in clay particles was leached out as soluble reductive form, Fe (II). The microorganisms removed from 10 to 45% of the initial Fe (III) when each sugar was supplemented to be in ranges of 1 - 5 % (w/w; sugar/clay). The microorganisms reduced 2.1 - 12.8 mol of Fe (III) per 100 mol of carbon in sugars metabolized when sugars such as glucose, maltose, and sucrose were used as sole carbon source. Bacillus sp. IRB-W and Pseudomonas sp. IRB-Y were isolated from the enrichment culture of the clay. The isolates were considered to participate in metabolizing organic compounds to fermentative intermediates with relatively little Fe (III) reduction at initial Fe (III) reduction process. By the microbial treatment, the whiteness of the clay was increased form 63.20 to 79.64, whereas the redness was obviously decreased form 13.47 to 3.55. This treatment did not cause any unfavorable modifications in mineralogical compositions of the clay.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.851-861
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• 2019

In this study, we performed a sediment elution experiment to evaluate water quality in terms of phosphorus, as influenced by the dissolved oxygen consumed by sediments. Three separate model column treatments, namely, raw, calcined, and sonicated oyster shell powders, were used in this experiment. Essential phosphorus fractions were examined to verify their roles in nutrient release from sediment based on correlation analyses. When treated with calcined or sonicated oyster shell powder, the sediment-water interface became "less anaerobic," thereby producing conditions conducive to partial oxidation and activities of aerobic bacteria. Sediment Oxygen Demand (SOD) was found to be closely correlated with the growth of algae, which confirmed an intermittent input of organic biomass at the sediment surface. SOD was positively correlated with exchangeable and loosely adsorbed phosphorus and organic phosphorus, owing to the accumulation of unbound algal biomass-derived phosphates in sediment, whereas it was negatively correlated with ferric iron-bound phosphorus or calcium fluorapatite-bound phosphorus, which were present in the form of "insoluble" complexes, thereby facilitating the free migration of sulfate-reducing bacteria or limiting the release from complexes, depending on applied local conditions. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis revealed that iron-reducing bacteria were the dominant species in control and non-calcined oyster shell columns, whereas certain sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were identified in the column treated with calcined oyster powder.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 1993

The aims of the present study are to examine the precipitation of uranyl ion in the culture of Desulfovibrio desulfricans for the sedimentary recovery of aqueous uranium. D. desulfricans had the highest utilization rate of lactate and precipitated iron ion in the three sulfate reducing bacteria. So, subsequent experiments were conducted using lactate as an energy source. The normal growth was observed with increased pH and lactate utilization. During the culture, the amounts of SO42- consumed and S2- produced in aqueous phase were 8.5 and 7.5 mmol/m3-broth, respectively.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2011

Removal of dissolved selenium by D. michiganensis, a iron-reducing bacterium, and effects of dissolved metal elements such as iron, sulfate, and copper were investigated. Selenide that was reduced from selenite (2 mM) by D. michiganensis was gradually removed from the aqueous medium. As the reduced selenide was combined with aqueous iron, it was precipitated as a nanoparticulate iron-selenide. Sulfate and copper negatively affected the microbial selenite reduction, and the copper was especially toxic to the bacterium, inhibiting a microbial removal of dissolved selenite. These results show that it should be carefully biotreated for a selenium-contaminated site considering in situ sulfate or copper distribution and concentration. Consequently, the formation of iron-selenide by bacteria will be an important measure for preventing a long-distance migration of selenium in the subsurface environments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2010

Metals and sulfate can be considerably dissolved at low pH condition in the acid mine drainage(AMD) and it would make an environmental problems. There are only few of acid mine drainage treatment systems in Korea which are operating, but these still have an effect on the surrounding stream. In this study, quantification of indicator microorganisms was conducted to judge the environmental impact of AMD on microflora by quantitative real-time PCR in the drainage samples of four mines and the water samples of each surrounding stream. Two species of iron reducing bacteria(Rhodoferax ferrireducens T118 and Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5) were selected for indicator bacteria based on 16S rRNA cloning analysis, and sulfate reducing bacteria(Desulfosporosinus orientus), iron and sulfur oxidizing bacteria(Acidothiobacillus ferrooxidans) and iron oxidizing bacteria(Leptosprillum ferrooxidans) were included into indicator since these were found in the previous studies on the mining area. Thereafter, the comparative analysis of four mines were established by the microbiological variation index and it was determined that the biological environment effect of AMD is highest in Samtan mine which doesn t contain treatment system by the value.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2015

Acid mine drainage (AMD) producing mine tailings can be beneficially recycled to generate electricity by applying fuel cell technology. Pyrite-containing mine tailings and indigenous bacteria from abandoned mine areas were used to construct fuel cells to investigate the effect of pyrite contents and the presence of iron-oxidizing bacteria. The results showed an enhanced electrical performance with a higher content of pyrite in mine tailings. The inoculation of the indigenous bacteria also enhanced the current density by about three times, and the power density by about 10 times. Overall, this study shows that the combined use of the ecological function of indigenous bacteria from mine areas and mine-tailings in fuel cells does not only contribute to reducing harmful effects of mine tailings but also generate electricity.