• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2005

A one-dimensional numerical model was developed to simulate vertical profiles of electron acceptors and their reduced species in benthic sediments. The model accounted for microbial degradation of organic matter and subsequent chemical reactions of interest using stoichiometric relationships. Depending on the dominant electron acceptors utilized by microorganisms, the benthic sediments were assumed to be vertically subdivided into six zones: (1) aerobic respiration, (2) denitrification, (3) manganese reduction, (4) iron reduction, (5) sulfate reduction, and (6) methanogenesis. The utilizations of electron acceptors in the biologically mediated oxidation of organic matter were represented by Monod-type expression. The mass balance equations formulated for the reactive transport of organic matter, electron acceptors, and their corresponding reduced species in the sediments were solved utilizing an iterative multistep numerical method. The ability of model to simulate a freshwater sediments system was tested by comparing simulation results against published data obtained from lake sediments. The simulation results reasonably agreed with field measurements for most species, except for ammonia. This result showed that the C/N ratio (106/16) in the sediments is lower than what the Redfield formula prescribes. Since accurate estimates of vertical profiles of electron acceptors and their reduced species are important to determine the mobility and bioavailability of trace metals in the sediments, the model has potential application to assess the stability of selected trace metals in the sediments.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2006

Microorganisms involved in decaying Fuji apples during storage were investigated. Seven pathogens were isolated from the rotted fruits. Penicillium spp. was derived from 65-75% of decayed apples with P. expansum being dominant species. Effects of mild heat treatment on microbial reduction, respiration, and texture characteristics in Fuji apples were examined through hot water dipping at $40-65^{\circ}C$ for varied timε periods. Initial counts of total microorganisms and moulds in fresh fruits s showed 4.75 and 4.66 log CFU/g in a stem, as well as 5.35 and 4.32 log CFU/g in a calyx, respectively. The heat treatment at $40^{\circ}C$ for 180 min significantly reduced the population of total microorganisms and moulds in the fruits. Respiration rate of the apple fruits increased immediately after heat treatment and then returned to the normal level during storage. The rates of ethylene production in the fruits treated at $40-50^{\circ}C$ were maintained lower than that of the untreated control. The fruits treated at $40^{\circ}C$ showed slightly greater flesh firmness than the other apple samples during storage.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.363-368
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• 2018

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effect of fermented spent coffee ground (FSCG) on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Methods: Fermentation of spent coffee ground (SCG) was conducted using Lactobacillus plantrum. Fermentation was performed at moisture content of 70% and temperature of $39^{\circ}C$ with anaerobic air tension for 48 h. Four adult rams (initial body weight = $56.8{\pm}0.4kg$) were housed in a respiration-metabolism chamber and the treatments were: i) control (Basal diet; 0% SCG or FSCG), ii) 10% level of SCG, iii) 10% level of FSCG, and iv) 20% level of FSCG in $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Each dietary experiment period lasted for 18-d with a 14-d of adaptation period and a 4-d of sample collection period. Results: In SCG fermentation experimental result, acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) concentration of FSCG (64.5% of total N) was lower than that of non-fermented SCG (78.8% of total N). Digestibility of dry matter and organic matter was similar among treatment groups. Although crude protein (CP) digestibility of the control was greater than FSCG groups (p<0.05), the 10% FSCG group showed greater CP digestibility and nitrogen retention than non-fermented 10% SCG group (p<0.05). Body weight gain and average daily gain were linearly decreased with increasing FSCG feeding level (p<0.05). When the feeding level of FSCG was increased, water intake was linearly increased (p<0.05). With an increasing FSCG level, dry matter intake did not differ among groups, although the gain to feed ratio tended to decrease with increasing level of FSCG (p<0.10). Conclusion: Microbial fermentation of SCG can improve protein digestibility, thereby increasing CP digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Fermentation using microorganisms in feed ingredients with low digestibility could have a positive effect on improving the quality of raw feed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1187-1196
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• 2013

Global warming will have far-reaching effects on our ecosystem. However, its effects on Antarctic soils have been poorly explored. To assess the effects of warming on microbial abundance and community composition, we sampled Antarctic soils from the King George Island in the Antarctic Peninsula and incubated these soils at elevated temperatures of $5^{\circ}C$ and $8^{\circ}C$ for 14 days. The reduction in total organic carbon and increase in soil respiration were attributed to the increased proliferation of Bacteria, Fungi, and Archaea. Interestingly, bacterial ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes were predominant over archaeal amoA, unlike in many other environments reported previously. Phylogenetic analyses of bacterial and archaeal amoA communities via clone libraries revealed that the diversity of amoA genes in Antarctic ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotic communities were temperature-insensitive. Interestingly, our data also showed that the amoA of Antarctic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities differed from previously described amoA sequences of cultured isolates and clone library sequences, suggesting the presence of novel Antarctic-specific AOB communities. Denitrification-related genes were significantly reduced under warming conditions, whereas the abundance of amoA and nifH increased. Barcoded pyrosequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene revealed that Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the major phyla in Antarctic soils and the effect of short-term warming on the bacterial community was not apparent.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2014

Ordinary heterotrophic organism (OHO) active biomass plays key roles in biological wastewater treatment processes. However, due to the lack of measurement techniques, the OHO active biomass exists hypothetically within the design and simulation of biological wastewater treatment processes. This research was purposed to develop a quick and easy quantifying technique for the OHO active biomass applying a modified batch aerobic growth test. Two nitrification-denitrification activated sludge systems, with 10- and 20-day sludge ages, were operated to provide well-cultured mixed liquor to the batch tests. A steady state design model was firstly applied to quantify the "theoretical" OHO active biomass concentration of the two parent systems. The mixed liquor from the parent systems was then inoculated to a batch growth test and a batch digestion test to estimate the "measured" OHO active biomass concentration in the mixed liquor. The measured OHO active biomass concentrations with the batch growth test and the batch digestion test were compared to the theoretical concentrations of the parent system. The measured concentrations with the batch growth test were generally smaller than the theoretical concentrations. However, the measured concentrations with the batch aerobic digestion tests showed a good correlation to the theoretical concentrations. Thus, a different microbial growth condition (i.e., a higher food/biomass ratio) in the batch growth test, compared to the parent system or the batch digestion test, was found to cause underestimation of the OHO active biomass concentrations.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.3-13
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• 1996

The efficiency of bioremedation can be measured by the enumeration of microorganism, respiration rate and decomposition rate. The side-effect can be measured by using Daphnia, oyster larvae and rainbow trout. Oxygen transfer could be a problem in the on-site treatment. For these, hydrogen peroxide can be used for solvents such as benzenes. Oleophilic nitrogen and phosphorus can be added for the treatment of oil pollution. Mixed microbial population or pure culture can be used for the inoculum. The pure culture used is Pseudomonas and Phanerochate. Sometimes enzymes are added and Photodegadation is coupled to increase the efficiency. For the treatment of oil pollution residue on soil such as waste lubrication oil and machine oil sludges, top soil of 15cm∼20cm depth is plowed and oil residue with approximately 5% concentration is applied. The optimum pH range is 7∼8, the ratio of phosphorus to hydrocarbon is 1:800. Appropriate drainage is necessary. For the treatment of marine oil pollution residue, addition of oleophilic fertilizer is effective. Air pollutiant such as oder can be treated by bioremediation. In this case, biofilters or biosrubbers are used for the reactor.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1431-1441
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the effects of replacing rice straw with different proportions of cassava pulp on growth performance, feed intake, digestibility, rumen microbial population, energy partitioning and efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization in beef cattle. Methods: Eighteen yearling Thai native beef cattle (Bos indicus) with an average initial body weight (BW) of $98.3{\pm}12.8kg$ were allocated to one of three dietary treatments and fed ad libitum for 149 days in a randomized complete block design. Three dietary treatments using different proportions of cassava pulp (100, 300, and 500 g/kg dry matter basis) instead of rice straw as a base in a fermented total mixed ration were applied. Animals were placed in a metabolic pen equipped with a ventilated head box respiration system to determine total digestibility and energy balance. Results: The average daily weight gain, digestible intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and non-fiber carbohydrate, total protozoa, energy intake, energy retention and energy efficiency increased linearly (p<0.05) with an increasing proportion of cassava pulp in the diet, whereas the three main types of fibrolytic bacteria and energy excretion in the urine (p<0.05) decreased. The metabolizable energy requirement for the maintenance of yearling Thai native cattle, determined by a linear regression analysis, was $399kJ/kg\;BW^{0.75}$, with an efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization for growth of 0.86. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that increasing the proportion of cassava pulp up to 500 g/kg of dry matter as a base in a fermented total mixed ration is an effective strategy for improving productivity in zebu cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.400-406
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• 2011

An experiment was carried out to assess the effects of xylanase supplementation on the performance, net energy and gut microflora of broilers fed a wheat-based diet. Day-old male broiler chicks were allocated to two dietary treatments. Each treatment was composed of six replicate cages of seven broilers per cage. The diets were wheat-based and offered as mash. The treatments included i) basal diet deficient in metabolizable energy; and ii) basal diet supplemented with a commercial xylanase added at 4,000 U/kg feed. Bird performance, nutrient utilization and gut microbial populations were measured. Heat production and net energy were determined using an auto-control, open circuit respiration calorimetry apparatus. Results showed that exogenous xylanase supplementation improved feed conversion efficiency (p<0.05) and increased diet AME (+4.2%; p<0.05), as well as heat production (HP), net energy for production (NEp), production of $CO_2$, and consumption of $O_2$. The respiratory quotient (RQ) was also increased (p<0.01) by the addition of xylanase. NEp value was increased by 26.1% while daily heat production per kg metabolizable body weight was decreased by 26.2% when the xylanase was added. Xylanase supplementation numerically increased the ileal digestibility of protein and energy by 3 and 6 percentage units respectively (p>0.05). The ileal digestibility of hemicellulose was significantly improved by xylanase addition (p<0.05).

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.272-277
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• 2003

This study was conducted to determine the minimal processing characteristics as affected by the storage duration of whole Asian pears(Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. Niitaka). Before and after storage for 4 months under air at 0$^{\circ}C$, whole pears were sliced, placed in unsealed plastic bags, and kept for 4 days at 10$^{\circ}C$. Storage of whole pears increased the initial levels of electrolyte leakage, total phenols and browning index and decreased the initial content of vitamin C in pear slices. Slices from stored pears maintained higher respiration rate compared with slices from non-stored pears during keeping. The increase of electrolyte leakage, browning index and microbial number and the decrease of total phenol in slices during keeping were more fast in slices from stored pears than in those from non-stored pears. These results suggest that the minimal processing characteristics of ‘Niitaka’ pears are depending upon storage duration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.149-156
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• 1999

In the United States (U.S.), the monitored natural attenuation (MNA) approach has been used as an alternative remedial option for organic and inorganic compounds retained in soil and dissolved in groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the MNA as“in-situ naturally-occurring processes include biodegradation, diffusion, dilution, sorption, volatilization, and/or chemical and biochemical stabilization of contaminants and reduce contaminant toxicity, mobility or volume to the levels that are protective of human health and the environment”. The Department of Soil Environment. National Institute Environmental Research (NIER) is in the process for demonstrating the MNA approach as a potential remedial option for the BTEX contaminated site in Uiwang City. The project is charactering the research site in terms of the nature and extend of contamination, biological degradation rate, and geochemical and hydrological properties. The microbial-degradation rate and effectiveness of nutrient and redox supplements will be determined through laboratory batch and column tests. The geochemical process will be monitored for determining the concentration changes of chemical species involved in the electron transfer processes that include methanogenesis, sulfate and iron reduction, denitrification, and aerobic respiration. Through field works, critical soil and hydrogeologic parameters will be acquired to simulate the effects of dispersion, advection, sorption, and biodegradation on the fate and transport of the dissolved-phase BTEX plume using Bioplume III model. The objectives of this multi-years research project are (1) to evaluate the MNA approach using the BTEX contaminated site in Uiwang City, (2) to establish a standard protocol for future application of the approach, (3) to investigate applicability of the passive approach as a secondary treatment remedy after active treatments. In this presentation, the overall picture and philosophy behind the MNA approach will be reviewed. Detailed discussions of the site characterization/monitoring plans and risk-based decision-making processes for the demonstration site will be included.