• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2006

Ecotoxicity assessments of 90 selected effluents of 22 industry types from 2002 to 2004 in Korea were evaluated by a toxic battery of bioassay test using fish Oryzias latipes, invertebrate Daphnia magna, algae Selenastrum capricornutum and bacteria Vibrio fischeri with the physicochemical measurement items and permit concentrations on the present Water Quality Conservation Act in Korea. Total toxic unit (${\Sigma}TU$) of 8 industry types of 22 industry types by the toxic battery appeared in order of the value site as follows; Pigment Dye Manufacturing (${\Sigma}TU$ 217.1) > Textile and Dye (${\Sigma}TU$ 39.3) > Semiconductor Electronic Manufacturing (Small) (${\Sigma}TU$ 25.6) > Wastewater and Sewage Treatment Plants (${\Sigma}TU$ 25.4) > Coating (${\Sigma}TU$ 23.8) > Leather Skin Manufacturing (${\Sigma}TU$ 18.0) > Synthetic Resin Manufacturing (${\Sigma}TU$ 15.6) > Assemble Metal Manufacturing (${\Sigma}TU$ 10.7). Our results demonstrate that ecotoxicity assessment, by bioassay test, is effective and practical for industrial wastewater management for 90 selected effluents with the limitation of the physicochemical permit. Among 90 effluents, 9 samples failed physicochemical permit limitation and 81 passed it. In result of ecotoxicity assessment of 90 effluents by the toxic battery, 76 effluents exhibited ecotoxicity and the others did not. The physicochemical measurement items and permit concentrations on the present Water Quality Conservation Act in Korea were low related to the ecotoxicity value by the toxic battery and appeared limited for water quality management to water-ecosystem and environment-friendly management of water.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.690-698
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• 2012

Cr-B2, a Gram-negative hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] reducing bacteria, was isolated from the aerator water of an activated sludge process in the wastewater treatment facility of a dye and pigment based chemical industry. Cr-B2 exhibited a resistance for 1,100 mg/l Cr(VI) and, similarly, resistance against other heavy metal ions such as $Ni^{2+}$ (800 mg/l), $Cu^{2+}$ (600 mg/l), $Pb^{2+}$ (1,100 mg/l), $Cd^{2+}$ (350 mg/l), $ZN^{2+}$ (700 mg/l), and $Fe^{3+}$ (1,000 mg/l), and against selected antibiotics. Cr-B2 was observed to efficiently reduce 200 mg/l Cr(VI) completely in both nutrient and LB media, and could convert Cr(VI) to Cr(III) aerobically. Cr(VI) reduction kinetics followed allosteric enzyme kinetics. The $K_m$ values were found to be 43.11 mg/l for nutrient media and 38.05 mg/l for LB media. $V_{max}$ values of 13.17 mg/l/h and 12.53 mg/l/h were obtained for nutrient media and LB media, respectively, and the cooperativity coefficients (n) were found to be 8.47 and 3.49, respectively, indicating positive cooperativity in both cases. SEM analysis showed the formation of wrinkles and depressions in the cells when exposed to 800 mg/l Cr(VI) concentration. The organism was seen to exhibit pleomorphic behavior. Cr-B2 was identified on the basis of morphological, biochemical, and partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing chracterizations and found to be Acinetobacter sp.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1152-1160
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• 2017

A unicellular green alga was axenically isolated from a tidal pool on Ulleung-do, Korea. Morphological, molecular, and biochemical analyses revealed that the isolate belonged to Auxenochlorella protothecoides. The current study is the first record of this species in Korea. The microalgal strain was named as A. protothecoides MM0011 and its growth, lipid and pigment compositions, and biomass properties were investigated. The strain is able to thrive in a wide range of temperatures ($5{\sim}35^{\circ}C$) and to withstand up to 1.5 M NaCl. The results of GC/MS analysis showed that the isolate was rich in nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Its major fatty acids were linoleic acid (27.6%) and ${\alpha}-linolenic$ acid (39.6%). Thus, this indigenous microalga has potential as an alternative source of ${\omega}3$ and ${\omega}6$ PUFAs, which currently come from fish and plant oils. Also, the HPLC analysis revealed that the value-added antioxidant, lutein, was biosynthesized as the accessory pigments by the microalga. A proximate analysis showed that the volatile matter content was 85.6% and an ultimate analysis indicated that the gross calorific value was $20.3MJ\;kg^{-1}$. Since 40.5% of total nitrogen and 27.9% of total phosphorus were removed from the medium, respectively, it also has potential as a feedstock for biofuel applications which could be coupled to wastewater treatment. In addition, the biomass may also serve as an excellent animal feed because of its high protein content (51.4%). Therefore, A. protothecoides MM0011 shows promise for application in production of microalgae-based biochemicals and as a biomass feedstock.