• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.282-291
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• 2022

Since the efficiency of wastewater treatment using microalgae differs depending on the metabolic characteristics of the species, it is important to understand the characteristics of target algae prior to the application in wastewater treatment. In this study, for the application of Arthrospira platensis to wastewater treatment, which is a filamentous alkaliphilic cyanobacteria, basic species specificity was identified and the possibility of application to wastewater treatment was investigated. As a result of the species specificity investigation, the specific growth rate between pH 7.0 and 11.0 showed the highest value near pH 9 at 0.25/day. The reason for the relatively low growth(0.08/day) at pH 11 was thought to be the CA(carbonic anhydrase) enzyme that is involved in carbon fixation during photosynthesis has the highest activity at pH 8.0 to 9.0, and at pH 11, CA activity was relatively low. In addition, A. platensis showed optimal growth at 400 PPFD(photosynthetic photon flux density) and 30℃, and this means that cyanobacteria such as A. platensis have a larger number of PS-I(photosystem I) than that of PS-II(photosystem II). It was speculated that it was because higher light intensity and temperature were required to sufficiently generate electrons to transfer to PS-I. Regarding the applicability of A. platensis, it was suggested that if a system using the synergistic effect of co-culture of A. platensis and bacteria was developed, a more efficient system would be possible. And different from single cocci, filamentous A. platensis expected to have a positive impact on harvesting, which is very important in the latter part of the wastewater treatment process.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

While coupling wastewater treatment with microalgal bioenergy production is very promising, new approaches are needed to enhance microalgal growth and lipid accumulation in wastewater. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of iron on the growth, nutrient removal, and lipid accumulation of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 in both artificial wastewater and domestic secondary effluents. When increasing the iron concentration from 0 to 2 mg/l in the artificial wastewater, the biomass production of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 increased from 0.17 to 0.54 g/l; the nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency increased from 15.7% and 80.6% to 97.0% and 99.2%, respectively; and the lipid content was enhanced 84.2%. The relationship between the carrying capacity/maximal population growth rate of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 and the initial iron concentration were also in accordance with the Monod model. Furthermore, when increasing the iron concentration to 2 mg/l in four different domestic secondary effluent samples, the lipid content and lipid production of Scenedesmus sp. LX1 was improved by 17.4-33.7% and 21.5-41.8%, respectively.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.189-204
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• 2016

Microalgal bioremediation of CO₂, nutrients, endocrine disruptors, hydrocarbons, pesticides, and cyanide compounds have evaluated comprehensively. Microalgal mitigation of nutrients originated from municipal wastewaters, surface waters, and livestock wastewaters has shown great applicability. Algal utilization on secondary and tertiary treatment processes might provide unique and elegant solution on the removing of substances originated from various sources. Microalgae have displayed 3 growth regimes (autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic) through which different organic and inorganic substances are being utilized for growth and production of different metabolites. There are still some technology challenges requiring innovative solutions. Strain selection investigation should be directed towards identification of algal that are extremophiles. Understanding and manipulation of metabolic pathways of algae will possible unfold solution to utilization of algae for mitigation of dissolve organic nitrogen in wastewaters.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.979-985
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• 2002

The possibility of microalgal nitrogen treatment was tested in wastewaters with a low carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio. Chlorella kessleri was cultured in the two different artificial wastewaters with nitrate as a nitrogen source: one contained glucose for an organic carbon source and the other without organic carbon sources. The growth rates of the two cultures were almost identical when the aeration rate was over 1 vvm. These results suggest that microalgae could successfully remove nitrogen from wastewater, as far as the mass transfer of $CO_2$, was not limited. Nitrate was successfully reduced to below 2 mg $NO_3^-$-N/ml from the initial nitrate concentration of 140 mg $NO_3^-$-N/ml in 10 days, even in the wastewater with no organic carbon source. Similar results were obtained when ammonium was used as the sole nitrogen source instead of nitrate. Higher concentrations of nitrogen of 140, 280, 560 and 1,400 mg/ml were also tested and similar amounts of nitrogen were removed by algal cultures without showing any substrate inhibition.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2023

The aim of this study was to compare the fouling characteristics of Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by Chlorella vulgaris with the case of Bacterial-MBR (BMBR), Microalgal-MBR (MMBR) for advanced wastewater treatment using the Laboratory scale, in order to suggest a method to minimize fouling in MMBR by identifying the effects of amounts and compositions of EPS secreted by C. vulgaris and bacteria in the activated sludge on fouling. Contrary to expectations, fouling occurred relatively severely in the MMBR from the beginning of the operation than in the BMBR. Reasons for such a fouling pattern were considered to be the effect of C-EPS, which accumulates on the membrane surface of MMBR 30 times more than that on the membrane surface of activated sludge (BMBR). In this respect, according to the results of this experiment and a comparative review of several previous studies, it was confirmed that unlike activated sludge, in which the ratio of P-EPS was relatively higher than that of C-EPS, in case of C. vulgaris, the ratio of C-EPS to P-EPS was relatively higher than that in case of activated sludge. This was presumed to be the main cause of the significant fouling phenomenon in MMBR. However, an increase in TMP with increasing C-EPS concentration was not observed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.2010-2018
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• 2017

Mixotrophic microalgal growth gives a great premise for wastewater treatment based on photoautotrophic nutrient utilization and heterotrophic organic removal while producing renewable biomass. There remains a need for a control strategy to enrich them in a photobioreactor. This study performed a series of batch experiments using a mixotroph, Chlorella sorokiniana, to characterize optimal guidelines of mixotrophic growth based on a statistical design of the experiment. Using a central composite design, this study evaluated how temperature and light irradiance are associated with $CO_2$ capture and organic carbon respiration through biomass production and ammonia removal kinetics. By conducting regressions on the experimental data, response surfaces were created to suggest proper ranges of temperature and light irradiance that mixotrophs can beneficially use as two types of energy sources. The results identified that efficient mixotrophic metabolism of Chlorella sorokiniana for organics and inorganics occurs at the temperature of $30-40^{\circ}C$ and diurnal light condition of $150-200{\mu}mol\;E{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$. The optimal specific growth rate and ammonia removal rate were recorded as 0.51/d and 0.56/h on average, respectively, and the confirmation test verified that the organic removal rate was $105mg\;COD{\cdot}l^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. These results support the development of a viable option for sustainable treatment and effluent quality management of problematic livestock wastewater.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.338-348
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• 2003

In the past decade, considerable progress has been made in developing the appropriate biotechnology for microalgal mass cultivation aimed at establishing a new agro-industry. This review points out the main biological constraints affecting algal biotechnology outdoors and the requirements for making this biotechnology economically viable. One of them is the availability of a wide variety of algal species and improved strains that favorably respond to varying environmental conditions existing outdoors. It is thus just a matter of time and effort before a new methodology like genetic engineering can and will be applied in this field as well. The study of stress physiology and adaptation of microalgae has also an important application in further development of the biotechnology for mass culturing of microalgae. In outdoor cultures, cells are exposed to severe changes in light and temperature much faster than the time scale re-quired for the cells to acclimate. A better understanding of those parameters and the ability to rapidly monitor those conditions will provide the growers with a better knowledge on how to optimize growth and productivity. Induction of accumulation of high value products is associated with stress conditions. Understanding the physiological response may help in providing a better production system for the desired product and, at a later stage, give an insight of the potential for genetic modification of desired strains. The potential use of microalgae as part of a biological system for bioremediation/detoxification and wastewater treatment is also associated with growing the cells under stress conditions. Important developments in monitoring and feedback control of the culture behavior through application of on-line chlorophyll fluorescence technique are in progress. Understanding the process associated with those unique environmental conditions may help in choosing the right culture conditions as well as selecting strains in order to improve the efficiency of the biological process.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2011

The possibility of nutrient removal during Scenedesmus sp. growth in Lake Paldang, Geongan cheon stream, and the outflow from a wastewater treatment system was examined. Scenedesmus sp. grew well in Lake Paldang water when total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) values were 1.9 and 0.02 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively, and 50% of the nutrients were removed. In Geongan cheon stream, the TN and TP was 3.0 mg $L^{-1}$ and 0.09 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively, chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ reached a maximum of 239~259 $m^{-3}$, and 50% of the nutrients were removed. In the wastewater treatment outflow, where Scenedesmus sp. already existed, the organism grew well without inoculation. Scenedesmus sp. can grow with proper inoculation and physical turbulence in natural waters, such as lake and stream water, and nutrients can be eliminated as phytoplankton growth occurs.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.328-336
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• 1999

A green microalga, Chlorella vulgaris UTX 259, was cultivated in a bench-scale raceway pond. During the culture, 15%(v/v) $CO_2$ was supplied and industrial wastewater discharged from a steel-making plant was used as a culture medium. In a small scale culture bottle, the microalga grew up to 1.8 g $dm^{-3}$ of cell concentration and ammonia was completely removed from the wastewater with an yield coefficient of 25.7 g dry cell weight $g^{-1}\;NH_3-N$. During the bottle-culture, microalga was dominant over heterotrophic microorganisms in the culture medium. Therefore, the amount of carbon dioxide fixation could be estimated from the change of dry cell weight. In a semi-continuous operation of raceway pond with intermittent lighting (12 h light and 12 h dark), increase of dilution rate resulted in increase of the ammonia removal rate as well as the $CO_2$ fixation rate but the ammonia removal efficiency decreased. Ammonia was not completely removed from the medium (wastewater) of raceway pond which was operated in a batch mode under a light intensity up to 20 klux. The incomplete removal of ammonia was believed due to insufficient light supply. A mathematical model, capable of predicting experimental data, was developed in order to simulate the performance of the raceway pond under the light intensity of sun during a bright daytime. Simulation results showed that the rates of $CO_2$ fixation and ammonia removal could be enhanced by increasing light intensity. According to the simulation, 80 mg $dm^{-3}$ of ammonia in the medium could be completely removed if the light intensity was over 60 klux with a continuous lighting. Under the optimal operating condition determined by the simulation, the rates of carbon dioxide fixation and ammonia removal in the outdoor operation of raceway pond were estimated as high as $24.7 g m^{-2} day^{-1}$ and $0.52 g NH_3-N m^{-2} day^{-1}$, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.449-457
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• 2021

Photosynthesis and respiration rate of microalgae are important factors during advanced wastewater treatment research using microalgae, There are several equipments and measurement methods for measuring photosynthesis and respiration, with different challenges that occur during pretreatment and stabilization of the analysis process. Therefore, in this study, for accurate Photosynthesis and Respiration (P&R) analyzer measurement, the analysis process was divided into pre-processing, DO stabilization, and analysis stages and each was optimized to enable accurate evaluation. For this purpose, the effect of DO saturation of the sample on P&R analysis, DO stabilization according to the degassing flow rate, and photoinhibition of the OD level on photosynthesis was investigated. Based on our study results, when DO was supersaturated, photosynthetic efficiency decreased due to photorespiration, making it inappropriate as a P&R sample. In addition, 0.5 L-N2/min level was the optimal nitrogen degassing flow rate for DO desaturation. The inhibition of photosynthetic efficiency by self-shading caused by the increase in OD was observed from OD 2.0, and it was found that P& R analysis is preferably performed on samples with OD less than 2.0. In addition, based on the above three optimization results, an optimized P&R Analyzer instruction for accurate P&R analysis was also presented.