• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2002

$\alpha$-Amylase producing bacteria were isolated from activated sludge of corn processing wastewater plant and paddy field soil samples and selected by the direct iodine reaction. The isolate was identified as Bacillus sp. after morphology, API system and fatty acid analyses. To enchance $\alpha$-amylase productivity, a successive mutation of Bacillus sp. AIV 19 was performed using the treatment of nitrosoguanidine(NTG).The mutant, Bacillus sp. AIV 1940, showed about 1.8-fold level of amylase activity compared with parental strain. The isolate was Gram-positive and rod (2.8-3.0 $\mu$m long, 0.5-0.6 $\mu$m wide) type. The strain increased the bacterial mass at 3000 mg/l starch concentration. Organic substance removal rate was 40.2, 72.3% respectively after 1 and 3 day reaction using starch synthetic wastewater (intial CODcr was 4,455 mg/l).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.424-431
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Tributyltin chloride is among the most toxic compounds known for aquatic ecosystems. Microorganisms are responsible for removal of TBTCl. Nevertheless, only a limited number of marine bacteria were investigated for biodegradation of TBTCl in Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: The number of TBTCl resistant bacteria ranged from $2.5{\times}10^3$ to $3.8{\times}10^3$ cfu/mL in the seawater, and ranged from $3.2{\times}10^5$ to $9.1{\times}10^5$ cfu/g in the surface sediment, respectively. The morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of TBTCl resistant bacteria were investigated by API 20NE and other tests. The most abundant species of TBTCl resistant bacteria were Vibrio spp. (19.2%), Bacillus spp. (16.2%), Aeromonas spp. (15.2%), and Pseudomonas spp. (13.1%), etc. Eleven TBTCl resistant isolates also had a resistance to heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, and Zn). Among them, isolate T7 showing the strong TBTCl-resistance was selected. This isolate was identified as the genus Pantoea by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and designated as Pantoea sp. T7. In addition, this bacterium was cultivated up to the growth of 50.7% after 60 hrs at TBTCl concentration of $500{\mu}M$. TBTCl-degrading activity of Pantoea sp. T7 was measured by GC-FPD analysis. As a result of biological TBTCl-degradation at TBTCl concentration of $100{\mu}M$, TBTCl-removal efficiency of Pantoeasp. T7 was 62.7% after 40 hrs. CONCLUSION(S): These results suggest that Pantoea sp. T7 is potentially useful for the bioremediation of TBT contamination.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.260-267
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• 2015

The $PM_{10}$, $SO_2$ and $NO_2$ mass concentrations were obtained over five years from monitoring stations across Nanchong, a southwest city in China. Changes in urban air quality over time, as well as the factors influencing that change, were evaluated based on air pollutant concentrations, the Air Pollution Index (API), and the Comprehensive Pollution Index (P). The results showed that the total annual mean $PM_{10}$, $SO_2$ and $NO_2$ concentrations over the five years studied were $61.1{\pm}1.1$, $45.0{\pm}3.9$ and $34.9{\pm}4.9{\mu}g{\cdot}m^{-3}$, respectively. The annual mean concentrations displayed a generally decreasing trend; lower than the annual mean second-level air quality limit. Meanwhile, the annual mean API values were in a small range of 52-53, the air quality levels were grade II, and P values were 1.06-1.21 less than the slight level ($P{\leq}1.31$). Total monthly mean $PM_{10}$, $SO_2$, $NO_2$ concentrations, and API and P values were consistently higher in winter and spring than during autumn and summer. The results of a correlation analysis showed that temperature and pressure were the major meteorological factors influencing pollution levels. Pollution sources included industrial coal and straw burning, automobiles exhaust and road dust, fireworks, and dust storms.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.408-417
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• 2013

Objectives: Phthalates are used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. As phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to the PVC, they can leach, migrate or evaporate into indoor air and atmosphere, foodstuffs, other materials, etc. Therefore, humans are exposed through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure over their entire lifetime, including during intrauterine development. In particular, university students have a great number of opportunities to contact products including phthalates during campus life (food packaging, body care products, cosmetic, lotions, aftershave, perfume etc.). The purpose of this study was to examine levels of phthalate exposure as undergraduate students begin to use pharmaceuticals and personal care products including phthalates. Methods: Phthalate metabolites, mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-2- ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), {(mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP}, and mono-(2-ethlyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP} were examined. 80 urine samples collected from university students were analyzed using LC/MS/MS(API 4000, Applied Bioscience) with on-line enrichment and columnswitching techniques. This study was carried out at Y university located in Gyonggi Province from 2008 to 2011. Results: The detection limit of phthalate metabolites were 0.03 ng/mL for MEP, 0.11 ng/mL for MnBP, 0.08 ng/mL for MiBP, 0.93 ng/mL for MEHP, 0.19 ng/mL for MEOHP and 0.16ng/mL for MEHHP. MnBP showed the highest urinary levels (median: 31.6 ug/L, 24.8 ug/g creatinine (cr)). Concentrations were also high for MEHHP (median: 24.1 ug/L, 19.0 ug/g cr), followed by MEOHP (median: 22.8 ug/L, 17.9 ug/g cr). In individual cases, the maximum level reached up to 348 ug/L, and 291 ug/g cr, respectively. The urinary and creatinine adjusted levels of MEP were lower than those for DBP and DEHP metabolites, but were higher in 95th percentiles. As a result, the mean daily DEP intake value was 2.3 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day, 3.5 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for DEHP and 4.9 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for DBP. Conclusion: These students' phthalate exposure levels were below the international safe level set by the EU, but higher than the 2012 KFDA survey of the age group from 3 to 18.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.940-946
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• 2008

In the development of a nutrient enhanced functional food, kimchi was produced by using high $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) producing lactic acid bacterium as a starter strain. The strain isolated from kimchi was identified by using an API kit and named Lactobacillus sp. OPK 2-59. Kimchi was produced by 3 methods 1) monosodium glutamate (MSG) added (M group); 2) starter added (S group); 3) MSG+starter added (M&S group). The produced kimchi was fermented for 24 hr in an incubator at a temperature of $15^{\circ}C$ and stored at $0-1^{\circ}C$ to examine its characteristics. The M&S group exhibited a sharper increase in acidity and a steeper fall in pH as well as a higher number of lactobacilli. The M&S group kimchi had 18 mg/100 g (fresh weight, f.w.) of GABA, whereas the M and S group each had 6 mg/100 g (f.w.) GABA. According to functional evaluation, the M&S group kimchi, which has higher GABA, was not significantly different in taste, color, texture, or smell, but the M&S group was generally superior. In summary, using Lactobacillus sp. OPK 2-59 and MSG, a high quality kimchi with increased GABA content can be produced as a functional food.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2002

Bacillus polyfermenticus SCD, which is commonly called as Bisroot strain, is being used for functional foods through the treatment of long-term intestinal disorders, since the live strains in the form of active endospores can successfully reach the target intestine in both humans and animals. The cells of B. polyfermenticus SCD were treated for 24 h in artifical bile after incubation for 2 h in artificial gastric juice and final number of the strain was reached to around $3.3{times}10^7\;CFU/mL$. In test of API ZYM kit, ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ or ${\beta}-glucosidase$ was not produced by B. polyfermenticus SCD. B. polyfermenticus SCD was resistant to antibiotics, such as nisin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and rifamycin. B. polyfermenticus SCD was also affected by alcohol concentration up to 4%, but more than 8%, their growth was not affected significantly. Finally, B. polyfermenticus SCD was shown to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111 completely within 24 h of incubation, which indicated its bactericidal nature.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.201-208
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• 2006

Several carbonyl compounds are important because of their irritant and toxic properties, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Therefore, they are regulated in korean odor emission standard. In this study, atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry(API-MS) is used for the analysis of carbonyl compounds after derivatization with 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) and liquid chromatographic separation. In the negative ion mode, the $[M-H]^-$ pseudomolecular ions are most abundant for the carbonyls. Analytical parameters such as linearity, repeatability and minimum detection limit were evaluated. The linearities ($r^2$) for carbonyls were $0.9977{\sim}0.9999$ when analyte concentration ranges from $25\;to\;250{\mu}g/L$(n=6). The relative standard deviations (%RSD) for carbonyls were $0.55{\sim}3.51%$ for concentration of $100{\mu}g/L$(n=5). The minimum detection limit (MDL) was $1.88{\mu}g/L$(0.27 ppb) for i-valeraldehyde. It was shown that LC-MS method has a great potential for carbonyl compounds analysis.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.595-602
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• 2013

As a major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system in animals, ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has several physiological functions, such as anti-hypertensive, diuretic, tranquilizer and anti-stress effects in human. In order to determine strains with high GABA producing ability and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity, 273 bacteria were isolated from various types of Kimchi. Strain K255 contained $386.37{\mu}g/mL$ of GABA in MRS broth containing 1% MSG, $600.63{\mu}g/mL$ of GABA in MRS broth containing 2% MSG and $821.24{\mu}g/mL$ of GABA in MRS broth containing 3% MSG. It showed that K255 had the highest GABA production ability compared to other commercial lactic acid bacteria. K255 was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum based on its API carbohydrate fermentation pattern and 16S rDNA sequence. K255 was investigated for its physiological characteristics. The optimum growth temperature of K255 was $37^{\circ}C$and cultures took 13 h to reach the pH 4.4. K255 showed more sensitive to bacitracin in a comparison of fifteen different antibiotics, and showed most resistance to kanamycin and vancomycin. Moreover, it was comparatively tolerant to bile juice and acid and displayed resistance to Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, with rates of 30.8%, 29.7%, and 23.4% respectively. These results demonstrate that K255 could be an excellent strain for the production of functional products.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.214-222
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• 2016

This study was performed to increase the production of ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus brevis CFM11) and manufacture an optimum medium using the sap from Darae (Actinidia arguta). The concentration of GABA in the fermented sap was determined using GABase enzymatic assay. The isolated L. brevis CFM11 produced $605.67{\mu}g/mL$ GABA after incubation for 24 hours at $37^{\circ}C$ in broth. The sap was fermented by L. brevis CFM11 under optimum conditions of $32^{\circ}C$ for 48 hours with 40% rice bran extract, 1.0% sucrose, 3.0% soytone, 0.2% magnesium sulfate, and 0.2% MSG. The fermented sap produced a concentration of $1366.13{\mu}g/mL$ GABA. These results demonstrate that fermenting Darae sap using L. brevis CFM11 can produce a fermented sap beverage with increased GABA content.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.262-268
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• 2003

Kefir is a traditional fermented milk in Caucasusian area and is made mainly of milk fermented with lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Six typical kefir grains were selected from ten kefir grains collected from different locals in Korea. Kefir grains were gelatinous in texture and had various shapes of villi, grapes, leaves, hulled millets, and towels. To investigate predominant microflora of kefir grains, SPC, MRS, M17, Rogosa, and APT agar media were used for viable cell count MRS, SPC, and Rogosa media were most acceptable for bacterial cell counts of the selected kefir grains. From one or two of the SPC agar plates which contained around 25∼50 colonies, all grown colonies were isolated and identified. Most predominant bacteria was identified as Lactobacillus fermentum by API 50 CHL kit. The proportions of Lb. fermentum and Lb. brevis among the total identified bacteria were around 41~88% and M4%, respectively. To select the best preservation method for kefir grains, refrigeration, freezing, and freeze drying were compared. Freeze drying was found most suitable for the preservation of kefir grains, based upon their acid-producing activities and production of off-flavors.