• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.46-51
• /
• 2011

Distributional patterns of benthic microalgae were studied in the tidal flats of Saemangeum lake, Korea, from March 2007 to October 2009. As benthic microalgae of tidal flats of Saemangeum lake, 44 species belong to 5 classes were identified. Diatoms predominated the benthic microalgal flora with 75.0% of total species occurred. Dominant species were Achnanthes lanceolata, Aulacoseira granulata, Cymbella tumida, Fragilaria construens var. ventor, Melosira varians, Navicula cryptocephala, Navicula cryptocephala var. veneta, Nitzschia palea, and Paralia sulcata. The cell density and biomass of benthic microalgae were highest in 2009, and clear tendency of increment was observed at D1 and D2 sites. In vertical profiles, cell density and biomass of the benthic microalgae showed maximum cells and biomass at 0~1 mm depth of sediments from all sampled sites.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.343-350
• /
• 2012

Even though the microalgal species of Isochrysis and Pavlova are widely used as live food in bivalve hatcheries, they are difficult to culture in mass during the summer season. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the optimum species or strains of Isochrysis and Pavlova to produce good growth and high contents of fatty acids at temperatures over $30^{\circ}C$. Four species of Isochrysis (I. galbana KMMCC12, I. galbana KMMCC214, I. aff. galbana, and Isochrysis sp.) and four of Pavlova (P. lutheri, P. gyrans, P. viridis, and Pavlova sp.) were cultured at $25^{\circ}C$, $29^{\circ}C$, and $33^{\circ}C$, and then analyzed for specific growth rate and fatty acid composition. Microalgae were cultured in f/2 medium at 23 psu and continuous light of $80{\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$. For the I. galbana, growth rates were highest at $29^{\circ}C$ and decreased at $33^{\circ}C$ to the level observed at $25^{\circ}C$. I. galbana (KMMCC12) and Isochrysis sp. cultured at $29^{\circ}C$ and $33^{\circ}C$, respectively, exhibited the highest growth rates of all Isochrysis species. In terms of fatty acids, I. galbana (KMMCC12) contained higher contents of PUFA and n-3 HUFA at $33^{\circ}C$ than did Isochrysis sp. For species of Pavlova, growth rates of P. gyrans and P. viridis at $29^{\circ}C$ and $33^{\circ}C$, respectively, were higher than those of the other Pavlova species. In particular, P. viridis grew as well at $33^{\circ}C$ as it did at $29^{\circ}C$. However, P. lutheri and Pavlova sp. did not grow at $33^{\circ}C$. In terms of fatty acids, P. viridis cultured at $33^{\circ}C$ also exhibited higher contents of PUFA and n-3 HUFA, as compared to P. gyrans. Based on these results, we suggest that I. galbana (KMMCC12) and P. viridis are suitable species for mass culture during the high temperature season.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.547-555
• /
• 2020

Microalgae are a promising resource in energy and food production as they are cost-effective for biomass production and accumulate valuable biological resources. In this study, CO2 assimilation, biomass, and lipid production of 4 microalgal species (Chlorella vulgaris, Mychonastes homosphaera, Coelastrella sp., and Coelastrella vacuolata) were characterized at different CO2 concentrations ranging from 1% to 9%. Microscopic observation indicated that C. vulgaris was the smallest, followed by M. homosphaera, C. vacuolata, and Coelastrella sp. in order of size. C. vulgaris grew and consumed CO2 more rapidly than any other species. C. vulgaris exhibited a linear increase in CO2 assimilation (up to 9.62 mmol·day-1·l-1) as initial biomass increased, while the others did not (up to about 3 mmol·day-1·l-1). C. vulgaris, Coelastrella sp., and C. vacuolata showed a linear increase in the specific CO2 assimilation rate with CO2 concentration, whereas M. homosphaera did not. Moreover, C. vulgaris had a greater CO2 assimilation rate compared to those of the other species (14.6 vs. ≤ 11.9 mmol·day-1·l-1). Nile-red lipid analysis showed that lipid production per volume increased linearly with CO2 concentration in all species. However, C. vulgaris increased lipid production to 18 mg·l-1, compared to the 12 mg·l-1 produced by the other species. Thus, C. vulgaris exhibited higher biomass and lipid production rates with greater CO2 assimilation capacity than any other species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
• /
• v.20 no.8
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 2021

Recently, many studies have been conducted on substituting fossil fuels with bio-refineries in existing industrial systems using biomass. Among the various bio-refineries, microalgae have received wide attention because it uses inorganic compounds to produce useful substances, which are extracted by a cell disruption process. Although numerous cell disruption methods exist, cell disruption efficiency has been studied by ultrasonic treatment. Ultrasound is a high-frequency (20 kHz or higher) sound wave and causes cell disruption by cavitation when passing through a solvent. In this study, we used the microalgal species Chlorella sp., which was cultured in a plate-type photobioreactor. The experiment was conducted using a continuous low-frequency processing device. The reduction of cells with time due to cell disruption was fitted using a logistic model, and optimum conditions for highly efficient cell disruption were determined by conducting experiments under multiple conditions.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.91-96
• /
• 2013

Although the method of seedling production of Haliotis discus hannai is well known, the optimum benthic diatom species as a live food at early larval stage are not fully developed. In this study three Pennales diatom species, Caloneis schroederi, Rhaphoneis sp., and Cocconeis californica were examined on settlement, metamorphosis, survival, and growth of Haliotis discus hannai larvae. The larvae fed Raphoneis sp. or C. californica showed high settlement rate with 80-82% within 48 hrs, which was significantly higher than those fed C. schroederi or mixed diets with three diatom species. The larvae fed the former microalgal species also showed higher metamorphosis rate with 32-34% than the latter species with 10-12% within 4 days. With regard to survival and growth of the larvae, single diet with Rhaphoneis sp. or C. californica had better dietary value than the mixed diets for the early larvae of H. discus hannai.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.9
• /
• pp.1276-1282
• /
• 2010

In traditional mixotrophic cultures of microalgae, all the inorganic nutrients and organic carbon sources are supplied in the medium before inoculation. In this study, however, an alternative approach was adopted in Haematococcus pluvialis Flotow, a microalga capable of growing mixotrophically on sodium acetate (Na-Ac). First, the cells were grown under 75 ${\mu}Mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$ phototrophically without Na-Ac until the stationary phase and then exposed to five different light regimes by the addition of Na-Ac (e.g., dark, 20, 40, 75, and 150 ${\mu}Mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$). Dry weight (DW), pigments, and especially cell number in alternative mixotrophy (AM) were higher than traditional mixotrophy (TM). Cell number in AM almost doubled up from 21.7 to $42.9{\times}10^4$ cells/ml during 5-day exposure to Na-Ac, whereas the increase was only 1.2-fold in TM. Maximum cell density was reached in 75 ${\mu}Mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$ among the light intensities tested. We propose that Na-Ac in TM of H. pluvialis can not be utilized as efficiently as in AM. With this respect, AM has several advantages against TM such as a much higher cell density in a batch culture period and minimized risk of contamination owing to the shorter exposure of cells to organic carbon sources. In consequence, this method may be used for other strains of the species, and even for the other microalgal species able to grow mixotrophically.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.289-309
• /
• 2019

Marine microalgae have long been used as food additives and feeds for juvenile fish and invertebrates as their nutritional content is beneficial for humans and marine aquaculture species. Recently, they have also been recognized as a promising source for cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical products as well as biofuels. Marine microalgae of various species are rich in multiple anti-oxidant phytochemicals and their bioactive components have been employed in cosmetics and dietary supplements. Oil contents in certain groups of marine microalgae are extraordinarily rich and abundant and therefore have been commercialized as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements and mass production of microalgae-based biodiesels has been demonstrated by diverse research groups. Numerous natural products from marine microalgae with significant biological activities are reported yearly and this is attributed to their unique adaptive abilities to the great diversity of marine habitats and harsh conditions of marine environments. Previously unknown toxin compounds from red tide-forming dinoflagellates have also been identified which opens up potential applications in the blue biotechnology sector. This review paper provides a brief overview of the biotechnological potentials of Korean marine microalgae. We hope that this review will provide guidance for future marine biotechnology R&D strategies and the various marine microalgae-based industries in Korea.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.167-176
• /
• 2020

Iodine exists as a trace element in seawater, with total iodine being generally constant at about 0.45-0.55 μM. Almost all of this iodine occurs in two main forms: iodate and iodide. Iodate is the thermodynamically stable form under normal seawater conditions, and thus should be the only iodine-containing species in the water column. However, iodate concentrations are found to vary considerably, being generally greater at depth and lower at the surface, while iodide concentrations follow the reverse pattern, being anomalously accumulated in the euphotic zone and decreasing with depth. The fact that iodide concentrations follow a depth dependence corresponding to the euphotic zone suggests that biological activity is the source of the reduced iodine. Nonetheless, the nature and source of iodate reduction activity remains controversial. Here, using a combination of field and laboratory studies, we examine some of the questions raised in our and other previous studies, and seek further correlations between changes in iodine speciation and the presence of marine macro- and microalgae. The present results indicate that microalgal growth per se does not seem to be responsible for the reduction of iodate to iodide. However, there is some support for the hypothesis that iodate reduction can occur due to release of cellular reducing agents that accompany cell senescence during phytoplankton bloom declines. In addition, support is given to the concept that macroalgal species such as giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) can take up both iodide and iodate from seawater (albeit on a slower time scale). We propose a mechanism whereby iodate is reduced to iodide at the cell surface by cell surface reductases and is taken up directly as such without reentering the bulk solution.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.61-70
• /
• 2020

A eukaryotic microalga was isolated from seawater in Janghang Harbor, Korea and its morphological, molecular, and physiological characteristics were investigated. Due to its simple morphology, no distinctive characters were found by morphological observation, such as light microscope or scanning/transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM). However, molecular phylogenetic evidence inferred from the concatenated small subunit (SSU) 18S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence data indicated that the isolate belonged to the newly described Micractinium singularis. Furthermore, it was clustered with Antarctic Micractinium strains and it also showed a psychrotolerant property, surviving at temperatures as low as 5℃. However, its optimal growth temperatures range from 15℃ to 25℃, indicating that this microalga is a mesophile. Additionally, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed that the isolate was rich in nutritionally important omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis (HPLC) revealed that the high-value antioxidant lutein was biosynthesized as an accessory pigment by this microalga, with glucose as the major monosaccharide. Therefore, in this study, a Korean marine M. singularis species was discovered, characterized, and described. It was subsequently added to the national culture collections.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.658-664
• /
• 2011

Rotifers of the genus Brachionus are commonly used as a live food for larval fish, and rotifers of different sizes are preferred according the mouth size of the fish. Rotifer species vary in size, and individual size can depend on the temperature and salinity of the rearing environment. We investigated the effects of temperature and salinity for two species, B. plicatilis (250-300 ${\mu}m$) and B. rotundiformis (100-220 ${\mu}m$). Two strains of B. plicatilis (CCUMP 36 and 48) and two strains of B. rotundiformis (CCUMP 51 and 56) were received from the Culture Collection of Useful Marine Plankton (CCUMP) at Pukyong National University and cultured with the green alga, Nannochloris oculata (KMMCC 16) from the Korea Marine Microalgal Culture Center (KMMCC). The growth and size of rotifers were examined at three water temperatures ($16^{\circ}C$, $24^{\circ}C$, $32^{\circ}C$) and four salinities (20 psu, 25 psu, 30 psu, 35 psu) under continuous light (40 ${\mu}molm^{-2}s^{-1}$). The maximum density and growth rate of B. rotundiformis were greater than those of B. plicatilis. The lorica length of B. plicatilis ranged from 215.4 to 269.7 ${\mu}m$ and from 154.9 to 206.6 ${\mu}m$ for B. rotundiformis, depending on strain, temperature and salinity. Rotifers were smaller when cultured at high temperatures, regardless of salinity. B. rotundiformis preferred higher salinity than B. plicatilis. The results demonstrated that the size of rotifers could be controlled to some extent by temperature and salinity.