• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.745-752
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• 2007

A $\beta$-glucosidase from the algal lytic bacterium Sinorhizobium kostiense AFK-13, grown in complex media containing cellobiose, was purified to homogeneity by successive ammonium sulfate precipitation, and anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatographies. The enzyme was shown to be a monomeric protein with an apparent molecular mass of 52 kDa and isoelectric point of approximately 5.4. It was optimally active at pH 6.0 and $40^{\circ}C$ and possessed a specific activity of 260.4 U/mg of protein against $4-nitrophenyl-\beta-D-glucopyranoside$(pNPG). A temperature-stability analysis demonstrated that the enzyme was unstable at $50^{\circ}C$ and above. The enzyme did not require divalent cations for activity, and its activity was significantly suppressed by $Hg^{+2}\;and\;Ag^+$, whereas sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) and Triton X-100 moderately inhibited the enzyme to under 70% of its initial activity. In an algal lytic activity analysis, the growth of cyanobacteria, such as Anabaena flos-aquae, A. cylindrica, A. macrospora, Oscillatoria sancta, and Microcystis aeruginosa, was strongly inhibited by a treatment of 20 ppm/disc or 30 ppm/disc concentration of the enzyme.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2014

We investigated seasonal algae variability and its influence on water quality in an agricultural reservoir. We observed that maximal total phosphorus (TP) loads were 1,715 kg from farmland in September, which changed the ecosystem in the reservoir. At this time, Dictyosphaerium pulchellum as green algae dominated. Aulacoseira ambigua as diatom became the most dominant from November 2010 to May 2011. The diatom was sensitive to water temperature. Microcystis spp. and Oscillatoria spp. as cyanobacteria were dominant during summer and fall, and sank down to the sediment during winter and spring. Increasing water temperature during summer causes anaerobic conditions in the sediment, leading to regrowth of cyanobacteria. With regard to the ratio of total nitrogen (TN) to TP, green algae and cyanobacteria were dominant at TN:TP ratios less than 20-30. Diatoms were dominant at TN:TP ratios greater than 30-40. Statistical analysis indicated that diatom growth was dependent on water temperature and TN concentration. TP concentration and water temperature were the key factors for the growth of cyanobacteria and green algae. From these results of this study, the management of land-use was an important parameter for improving water quality in the agricultural reservoir.

• ALGAE
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.229-234
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• 2006

For the test organism of algal growth potential (AGP), the diatom in the genus Stephanodiscus which cause blooms in the Nakdong River was used instead of generally used strains of Selenastrum, Microcystis, or Anabaena. AGP results indicated that all the samples in the Nakdong River except for that from the Nakdan Bridge site were eutrophic state. Furthermore, the sample from Kumho River site was hypertrophic state. In the main stream Nakdong River, the value of AGP was lowest at the upstream Nakdan Bridge site and was highest at Koryoung Bridge site which is just downstream of Kumho River confluent point indicating the seriousness of pollution contributed by the Kumho River to the Nakdong River. Changes in the concentration of nutrients before and after the AGP tests and inter-relationship among the nutrients indicated that the growth of the Stephanodiscus in the AGP tests were mostly affected by the nitrate, silicate and phosphate. The limiting nutrient was identified by the nutrient addition experiments and the results showed that phosphate was the limiting nutrient for the growth of Stephanodiscus in the tested samples.

• KCID journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2011

Jundae reservoir has basin area of 234ha, average depth of 3.77m and total storage of $619{\times}10^3m^3$, and is located in Dangin-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. The water quality of Jundae reservoir exceeded the IV grade of water quality standard as available for irrigation water in COD, TN, TP, Chl-a. COD and Chl-a were higher in spring season, because the algal bloom by phytoplankton increased. And the algal blooms in October by inflow non-point pollution during summer rainy season. The most dominant zooplankton was rotifers during study period at all stations. Dominant species were Keratella cochlearis, Polyarthra spp., and Trichocerca spp. We successfully established 2 isolated clone cultures as predator. One is Rotifer, Euchlanis sp. and another is cladocerans, Bosmina sp. To test the removal rate of 2 cultures against Microcystis aeruginosa, we inoculated Euchlanis sp. and Bosmina sp. separately when the abundance reached at $1.0{\times}10^6$cells/ml. Euchlanis sp. removed M. aeruginosa around 98.9% and Bosmina sp. removed it around 98.4%. They are useful grazers for controling algae blooms, Euchlanis sp. and Bosmina sp. feeding on M. aeruginosa highly.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.364-373
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• 2018

The present study assessed the efficient removal of nutrients and Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) by using methyl esterified sericite (MES) and pine needle extracts (PNE), a low cost and abundant green hybrid material from nature. For this purpose, the optimal conditions were investigated, such as the pH, temperature, MES and PNE ratio, and MES-PNE dose. In addition, a Microcystis aeruginosa control using MES-PNE was also analyzed with various inhibition models. The removal of the nutrient and Chl-a onto MES-PNE was optimized for over 95% removal as follows: 2-2.5 for the MES-PNE ratio, 7-8 pH and a $22-25^{\circ}C$ temperature. In this respect, approximately 1.52-2.20 g/L of MES-PNE was required to remove each 1 g of dry weight/L of Chl-a. Total phosphorus (TP) has a greater influence on the increase in Chl-a than total nitrogen (TN) according to the correlation between TN, TP and Chl-a. Moreover, the Luong model was the best model for fitting the biodegradation kinetics data from Chl-a on MES-PNE from lake water. The novel hybrid material MES-PNE was very effective at removing TN, TP and Chl-a from the lake and can be applied in the field.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.424-437
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• 2018

The incidence of freshwater algal bloom has been increasing globally in recent years and poses a major threat to environmental health. Cyanobacteria are the major component of the bloom forming community that must be monitored frequently. Their morphological identities, however, have remained elusive, due to their small size in cells and morphological resemblances among species. We have analyzed molecular diversity and seasonal changes of cyanobacteria in Paldang Reservoir, Korea, using morphological and 16S rRNA pyrosequencing methods. Samples were collected at monthly intervals from the reservoir March-December 2012. In total, 40 phylotypes of cyanobacteria were identified after comparing 49,131 pyrosequence reads. Cyanobacterial genera such as Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Microcystis and Synechocystis were predominantly present in samples. However, the majority of cyanobacterial sequences (65.9%) identified in this study were of uncultured origins, not detected morphologically. Relative abundance of cyanobacterial sequences was observed as high in August, with no occurrence in March and December. These results suggested that pyrosequencing approach may reveal cyanobacterial diversity undetected morphologically, and may be used as reference for studying and monitoring cyanobacterial communities in aquatic environments.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.41-47
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• 2021

River and stream are the important water supply source in our lives. Eutrophication causes excessive green algae growth including microcystis, which makes harmful to ecosystem and human health. Therefore, the water purification process to remove green algae is essential. In Korea, green algae alarm system exists depending on the concentration of green algae cells in river or stream. To maintain the growth amount under control, green algae monitoring system is being used. However, the unmanned, small and automatic monitoring system would be preferable. In this study, we developed the 3D printed device to measure the concentration of green algae cell using microfluidic droplet generator and deep learning. Deep learning network was trained by using transfer learning through pre-trained deep learning network. This newly developed microfluidic cell counter has sufficient accuracy to be possibly applicable to green algae alarm system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.249-260
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• 2022

The effect of permanganate oxidation was investigated as water treatment strategy with a focus on comparing the reaction characteristics of NaOCl and sodium permanganate (NaMnO₄) in algae (Monoraphidium sp., Micractinium inermum, Microcystis aeruginosa)-contained water. Flow cytometry explained that chlorine exposure easily damaged algae cells. Damaged algae cells release intracellular organic matter, which increases the concentration of organic matter in the water, which is higher than by NaMnO₄. The oxidation reaction resulted in the release of toxin (microcystin-LR, MC-LR) in water, and the reaction of algal organic matter with NaOCl resulted in trihalomethanes (THMs) concentration increase. The oxidation results by NaMnO₄ significantly improved the concentration reduction of THMs and MC-LR. Therefore, this study suggests that NaMnO₄ is effective as a pre-oxidant for reducing algae damage and byproducts in water treatment process.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2023

Algal organic matters (AOMs) are challenging to remove using traditional water treatment methods. Additionally, they are recognized as disinfection by product (DBP) precursors during the chlorination process. These compounds have the potential to seriously harm aquatic creatures. Despite the fact that AOMs and DBPs formed from algae can harm aquatic species by impairing their cognitive function and causing behavioral problems, only a few studies on the effects of AOMs and associated DBPs have been conducted. To assess the impact of extracellular organic materials (EOMs) produced by three different hazardous algal species and the chlorinated EOMs on zebrafish, this study used fish acute embryo toxicity (FET) and cognitive function tests. With rising EOM concentrations, the embryo's survival rate and mental capacity both declined. Of the three algal species, the embryo exposed to Microcystis aeruginosa EOM exhibited the lowest survival rate. On the other hand, the embryo exposed to EOMs following chlorination demonstrated a drop in CT values in both the survival rate and cognitive ability. These findings imply that EOMs and EOMs treated with chlorine may have detrimental effects on aquatic life. Therefore, an effective EOM management is needed in aquatic environment.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2023

As a result of algal bloom, algal organic matters (AOMs) are rapidly increased in surface water. AOMs can act as precursors for the formation of harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are serious problems in water treatment and human health. The main aim of this study is to characterize the formation of DBPs from AOMs produced by three different algae such as Oscillatoria sp., Anabaena sp., and Microcystis aeruginosa under different algal growth phases. In an effort to examine formation of DBPs during chlorination, chloroform (TCM), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) were determined under various CT (product of disinfectant concentration and contact time, mg·min/L) values. Generally, the amounts of DBPs tended to increase with increasing CT values at the most growth phases. However, there was a significant difference between the amounts of DBPs produced by the three algal species at different growth phases. This result is likely due to the chemical composition variability of AOM from different algae at different growth phases. In addition, the effect of pre-ozonation on coagulation for the removal of AOMs from three algal species was investigated. The pre-ozonation had a positive effect on the coagulation/flocculation of AOMs.