• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1434-1443
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• 2019

Although chemical oxygen demand (COD) is an important issue for wastewater treatment, COD reduction with microalgae has been less studied compared to nitrogen or phosphorus removal. COD removal is not efficient in conventional wastewater treatment using microalgae, because the algae release organic compounds, thereby finally increasing the COD level. This study focused on enhancing COD removal and meeting the effluent standard for discharge by optimizing sludge inoculation timing, which was an important factor in forming a desirable algae/bacteria consortium for more efficient COD removal and higher biomass productivity. Activated sludge has been added to reduce COD in many studies, but its inoculation was done at the start of cultivation. However, when the sludge was added after 3 days of cultivation, at which point the COD concentration started to increase again, the algal growth and biomass productivity were higher than those of the initial sludge inoculation and control (without sludge). Algal and bacterial cell numbers measured by qPCR were also higher with sludge inoculation at 3 days later. In a semi-continuous cultivation system, a hydraulic retention time of 5 days with sludge inoculation resulted in the highest biomass productivity and N/P removal. This study achieved a further improved COD removal than the conventional microalgal wastewater treatment, by introducing bacteria in activated sludge at optimized timing.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 2021

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) disrupt the cellular redox balance, exert cytotoxic effects, and consequently promote the development of various diseases in humans. Previous studies have reported that antioxidants counteract the adverse effects of ROS. Several studies examine the whitening effects of various agents based on their ability to inhibit tyrosinase activity. Tyrosinase is a critical enzyme involved in the synthesis of melanin, which protects the skin against radiation. Various agents exhibiting antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities have been synthesized. However, these synthetic drugs are associated with toxicity, decreased safety, and poor skin penetration in vivo, which has limited the clinical application of synthetic drugs. This study examined the antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of some microalgae. The methanol, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate extracts of four microalgal species (Tetraselmis tetrathele, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Platymonas sp., and Chaetoceros simplex) were prepared. The physiological and whitening effects of microalgal extracts were investigated by measuring the antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. The ethyl acetate extract of D. tertiolecta exhibited the highest antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. Future studies must focus on examining the whitening effects of microalgae on cell lines to facilitate the development of microalga-based therapeutics for skin diseases, functional health foods, and whitening agents. Thus, microalgae have potential applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.207-214
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• 2013

A concerted effort to develop alternative forms of energy is underway due to fossil fuel shortages and its deleterious effects. Recently, bioenergy from microalgae has gained prominence and the use of municipal wastewater as a low cost alternative for a nutrient source has significant advantages. In this study, we have employed municipal wastewater directly after primary treatment (primary settling basin) in a small scale raceway pond (SSRP) for microalgal growth. Indigenous microalgae in the wastewater were encouraged to grow in the SSRP under optimal conditions. The mean removal efficiencies of TN, TP, and $NH_3-N$ after 6 days were 77.77%, 63.55%, and 89.02%, respectively. The average lipid content of the microalgae was 19.51% of dry cell weight, and linolenate and linoleate (18:n) were the predominant fatty acids. The 18S rRNA gene analysis and microscopic observations of the indigenous microalgae community revealed the presence of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus as the dominant microalgae. These results indicate that untreated municipal wastewater, serving as an excellent nitrogen and phosphate source for microalgal growth, could be treated using microalgae in open raceway ponds. Moreover, microalgal biomass could be further profitable by the extraction of biodiesel.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6196-6202
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• 2012

Oligo-alginate derivatives were extracted from brown algae and its antimicroalgal effects and reaction mechanism were investigated. Oligo-alginate derivatives were produced from sequential hydrolysis of high molecular weight alginate by treatment of 2 N HCl and 1% $H_2O_2$. Antimicroalgal activity of extracts was proportional to reaction time and activity was highest at 4 hrs. When oligo-alginate derivatives were treated to Akashiwo sanguinea and Cochlodinium polykrikoides, mobilities of cells were ceased. A. sanguinea cells were crushed and plasmolysis was induced in C. polykrikoides cells. To investigate the action mechanism of oligo-alginate derivatives, changes of intracellular (pHi) and extracellular pH (pHe) were determined in the microalgal cells exposed to 0.05% of oligo-alginate derivatives. pHi was decreased about 0.3 unit and pHe was increased about 0.9 unit. These results suggested that change of membrane potential by oligo-alginate derivatives could led to microalgal cell death.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to inhibit biofouling on a selectively permeable membrane (SPM) and increase biomass productivity in marine photobioreactors (PBRs) for microalgal cultivation by chemical treatment. Surfaces of a SPM, composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), was sulfonated to decrease hydrophobicity through attaching negatively charged sulfonic groups. Reaction time of sulfonation was varied from 0 min to 60 min. As the reaction time increased, the water contact angle value of SPM surface was decreased from $75.5^{\circ}$ to $44.5^{\circ}$, indicating decrease of surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the water permeability of sulfonated SPM was increased from $5.42mL/m^2/s$ to $10.58mL/m^2/s$, which reflects higher nutrients transfer rates through the membranes, due to decreased hydrophobicity. When cultivating Tetraselmis sp. using 100-mL floating PBRs with sulfonated SPMs, biomass productivity was improved by 34% compared with the control group (non-reacted SPMs). In addition, scanning electron microscopic observation of SPMs used for cultivation clearly revealed lower degree of cell attachment on the sulfonated SPMs. These results suggest that sulfornation of a PET SPM could improve microalgal biomass productivity by increasing nutrients transfer rates and inhibiting biofouling by algal cells.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.743-752
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• 2015

We studied the spatio-temporal microalgal (phytoplankton and benthic diatoms) and environmental changes of the Hajeonri intertidal zone from February to November 2014. Seawater and phytoplankton analysis were conducted all through the months. The species, composition and abundance of phytoplankton and environmental factors were measured. As a result, diatom was dominant among a total of 113 species identified. On a seasonal basis (Feb. May, Aug., Nov.), we carried out studies on benthic diatoms on the surface of the sediments and their habitats at nine stations on the transect line at Hajeonri at low tide. The grain of the surface sediments was mainly composed of sandy silt and sandy mud. Organic pollution level was low. Benthic microalgal biomass (chlorophyll ${\alpha}$) was high in the spring and summer. A total of 163 benthic diatom species were identified. Navicula sp.1 and Paralia sulcata were dominant over the study period. Five diatom species were observed both in water column and on surface sediment at the same time.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 2012

In this study, dark fermentative hydrogen production (DFHP) from acid pretreated microalgal biomass was optimized with via statistical experimental design. Acid concentration and reaction time were varied from 0.1 to 3% (v/w) and 10 to 60 min with substrate concentration of 76 g dry cell weight (dcw)/L and initial pH of 7.4, respectively. During the fermentation, pH was not controlled. The optimal condition was found that at $H_{2}$ yield reached to 37.3 mL $H_{2}/g$ dcw at 1.2% HCl and 48 min. Through regression analysis, it was found that $H_{2}$ yield was well fitted by a quadratic polynomial equation ($R^{2}$=0.95). HCl concentration was the most significant factor influencing DFHP. The results of ANOVA verify that HCl concentration was the most significant factor influencing DFHP.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.501-502
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• 2001

Characteristics of $CO_2$ fixation by Chlorella sp. HA -1 were studied in a high cell culture using semi-continuous mode. As a result, it may be possible to obtain not only high cell concentration but also effective $CO_2$ removal at a moderate dilution ratio, which is' the most significant factor to control the microalgal growth in the semi-continuous mode.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.273-278
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• 2004

A taxonomic survey of the dinoflagellate family, Triadiniaceae Dodge was conducted on 17 locations off the coast of Korea. Three species of Goniodoma collected from the coast of Korea: Goniodoma orientale Lindemann, G. polyedricum (Pouchet) Jorgensen, and G. sphaericum Murray et Whiting.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2001.12a
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• pp.123-123
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• 2001