• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.162-168
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to investigate microbial sanitary condition of public baths in Seoul, Korea. A total of 28 water samples were collected from 14 different public baths and sudatoriums. The prevalence of fecal indicator microorganisms such as total coliform, fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli was characterized. In addition, bacteria in water was membrane filtered by 0.45um nitrocellulose membrane, and the filter was analyzed by both cultivation and PCR amplification of partial 16S rRNA gene. The levels of chlorine were measured for each of water samples. More than 40% of 14 collected water samples, the concentrations of total coliform bacteria exceeded the water quality for bath water guideline. There was no significant correlation between chlorine residue and the presence of total coliform. Various microorganisms including pathogenic microorganisms were identified from cultivation and subsequent analysis of 16s rRNA gene sequences. Our results suggest that appropriate hygiene practice and continuous monitoring is needed for reducing health risk associated with public bathhouses.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.3-16
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• 1996

This study was investigated to the effect of oxygen barrier of four different packaging films of the shelf life of proessed meat product by the simulated distribution test and storage test. The microbial growth, pH, VBN content, TBA value, color change and sensory evaluation were compared during the 2-month storage period at 4, 10, $20^{\circ}C$ after finished the simulated distribution test. The oxygen transmission rates ($cc/m^2$ day) were BF001: 27,88; BF003; 12.30;NY; 77.98; EVOM; 0.41 respectively. The packaging films were not effected on the changes of pH, VBN content, TBA value and color during the storage period. The aerobic microbial growth was increased only at $20^{\circ}C$ in the order of growth rate in the following films;NY > BF001 > BF003 > EVOH. Therefore, the microbial growth was affected significantly by the properties of oxygen barrier off packaging films and it should be an indicator of establishing the shelf life processed meat product.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.629-637
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-salinity wastewater on the microbial activity of Aerobic Granule Sludge (AGS). Laboratory-scale experiments were performed using a sequencing batch reactor, and the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), nitrogen removal efficiency, sludge precipitability, and microbial activity were evaluated under various salinity injection. The COD removal efficiency was found to decrease gradually to 3.0% salinity injection, and it tended to recover slightly from 4.0%. The specific nitrification rate was 0.043 - 0.139 mg $NH_4{^+}-N/mg$ $MLVSS{\cdot}day$. The specific denitrification rate was 0.069 - 0.108 mg $NO_3{^-}-N/mg$ $MLVSS{\cdot}day$. The sludge volume index ($SVI_{30}$) ultimately decreased to 46 mL/g. The specific oxygen uptake rate decreased from an initial value 120.3 to a final value 70.7 mg $O_2/g$ $MLVSS{\cdot}hr$. Therefore, salinity injection affects the activity of AGS, causing degradation of the COD and nitrogen removal efficiency. It can be used as an indicator to objectively determine the effect of salinity on microbial activity.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.12-24
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• 2023

The Songji lagoon is brackish environment with a mixture of saline and fresh water, and the interaction of groundwater-lagoon water creates a physicochemical gradient. Although some studies have been conducted on the hydrological and geochemical characteristics of the Songji lagoon, microbial ecological studies have not yet been conducted. In this study, we investigated the effect of groundwater and surface water interaction on water quality as well as microbial community changes in the Songji Lagoon using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Hydrochemical analyses show that samples were classified as 5 hydrochemical facies (HF) and hydrochemical facies evolution (HFE) revealed the intrusion phase was more dominant (57.9%) than the freshening phase (42.1%). Higher microbial diversity was found in freshwater in comparison to saline water samples. The microbial community at the phylum level shows the most dominance of Proteobacteria with an average of 37.3%, followed by Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, and Patescibacteria. Heat map analyses of the top 18 genera showed that samples were clustered into 5 groups based on type, and Pseudoalteromonas could be used potential indicator for seawater intrusion.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2006

To determine freshness and quality change of tofu during storage, we manufactured a freshness indicator and monitored the surface pH, volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), thiobarbituric acid reacted substance (TBARS), total bacterial counts, and sensory evaluation. Tofu had a change in color of the freshness indicator after storage of 8 days at $4^{\circ}C$, and its pH and total bacterial counts reached 5.6 and 7.63 log CFU/g, respectively. VBN and TBARS values increased and reached the decay point at the time of color change of the freshness indicator. Sensory evaluation also indicated that samples were unacceptable by off-odor and decrease of firmness at day 8 of storage. These results suggest that a freshness indicator should be useful in determining expiration date of tofu products during marketing by indicating the microbial safety as well as sensory change.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1709-1715
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• 2021

Outbreaks of food poisoning due to the consumption of norovirus-contaminated shellfish continue to occur. Male-specific (F+) coliphage has been suggested as an indicator of viral species due to the association with animal and human wastes. Here, we compared two methods, the double agar overlay and the quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR)-based method, for evaluating the applicability of F+ coliphage-based detection technique in microbial contamination tracking of shellfish samples. The RT-PCR-based method showed 1.6-39 times higher coliphage PFU values from spiked shellfish samples, in relation to the double agar overlay method. These differences indicated that the RT-PCR-based technique can detect both intact viruses and non-particle-protected viral DNA/RNA, suggesting that the RT-PCR based method could be a more efficient tool for tracking microbial contamination in shellfish. However, the virome information on F+ coliphage-contaminated oyster samples revealed that the high specificity of the RT-PCR- based method has a limitation in microbial contamination tracking due to the genomic diversity of F+ coliphages. Further research on the development of appropriate primer sets for microbial contamination tracking is therefore necessary. This study provides preliminary insight that should be examined in the search for suitable microbial contamination tracking methods to control the sanitation of shellfish and related seawater.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.109-121
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• 1996

It was intended to investigate the effect of the microbiological kitchen hygiene such as dishclothes and scrubbers. The 8indicator organisms (standard plate counts, coliform, heterotroph, enterococcus, staphylococcus, heat-stable bacteria, psychrotroph, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were detected highly in dishwaters, dishcloth and scrubber. Coliform and Staphylococcus aureus were appeared on dishcloth dominantly than the scrubber, and the scrubbers were intruded by hetrotrophs and psychrotrophs numerously than dishclothes. The germ-resistant sponge inhibited the growth of the most of test strain, and appeared the about 100% reduction rate after 24 hr, but did not affect Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. fragi so typically after 24 hr. The anti-microorganism durability of germ-resistant sponge, treated with food soil, was maintained by 10 days, the early stage strain density was founded in 20 days, and the strains grew after 30 days.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.363-368
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• 2010

The overall indicator of microbial activity in the fermentation-extinction reaction of food waste by using bio wood-chips were investigated by considering adenosine tri-phosphate(ATP). Degradation rate of organic compounds, which was represented by chemical oxygen demand(COD) and total nitrogen(TN), was increased with the concentration of adenosine tri-phosphate during fermentation-extinction reaction of food waste by using bio-wood chips. With this view, the ATP would be one of the overall evaluation indicator of organic degradation in the species of bio-wood chip for the fermentation-extinction of food waste.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.390-393
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• 2004

Oxygen uptake rate (OUR) was used as an indicator of microbial activity. In this study OUR at dyeing wastewater in the pilot plant was monitored to examine biological activity. Correlation between inlet COD concentration and maximum OUR showed that maximum OUR was proportional to inlet COD concentration. Changes in the OUR values reflected the changing waste load in the reactor. Consequently, OUR can be used to estimate biological activity of inlet COD concentration. This study showed that biodegradable COD at dyeing wastewater could be calculated from OUR and yield coefficient. Non-biodegradable COD was able to be calculated from a difference between initial COD concentration and biodegradable COD.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.447-452
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• 2018

Water is an important component in the production of fresh produce. It is mainly used for irrigation and application of pesticides and fertilizers. Several outbreaks cases related to fresh produce have been reported and water has been identified as the most likely source. On the other hand, wildlife has been identified as a possible source of the waterborne pathogens. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of wildlife access on irrigation water used in the cultivation of Chinese cabbage in Goesan. The frequency of wild animals access to upstream water source and the contamination level of bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Enterococci of irrigation water used in Chinese cabbage farm was examined. A total of 37 wildlife including the wild bear and water deer were observed in upstream of water source during the cultivation of Chinese cabbage. The result indicated the presence of hygienic indicator bacteria from the upstream where there is no human access. The contamination range of coliforms, E. coli, and Enterococcus spp. Detected in the irrigation water were 2.13~4.32 log MPN / 100 mL, 0.26~2.03 log MPN / 100 mL, and 1.43~3.49 log MPN / 100 mL, respectively. Due to low water temperatures, the contamination levels of coliform bacteria and E. coli in the irrigation water during harvesting time was lower compared to those recorded during transplanting of Chinese cabbage. However, no significant difference was detected in the number of Enterococci during the cultivation of Chinese cabbage. The results indicated the need to manage the microbial risk in irrigation water to enhance safety in cultivation of Chinese cabbage.