• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.75-84
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• 2011

There are some kinds of microorganisms within soils which can precipitate some minerals such as calcite under suitable conditions. Such precipitated calcites within pores of soil may reduce permeability and also cement soil particles. In this study, whether such microorganisms can fill pores within soil and increase the strength is investigated. Basillus pasteurii was repeatedly injected into weakly cemented sand with 3% cement ratio up to 10 times for 20 days. Then, cemented sand injected with microorganisms was tested for an unconfined compressive strength and evaluated for filling voids between soil particles. The unconfined compressive strength of one time injected specimen showed a 5% increase compared to untreated specimen. However, for more than two times the strength of injected specimens gradually decreased up to 50% of the untreated specimen by microorganisms. As the number of microorganism injection increased, the amount of calcite precipitation slightly increased within voids. However, over-precipitated calcites may result in strength decrease of slightly cemented soils.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.71-80
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the application effect of Lysobacter antibioticus HS124 (gelatinase and chitinase producing microorganism; GCM) for the improvement of soybean yield and control of stink bug. Our results showed that the yield of GCM-treated soybean increased by 17.0, 20.3, 19.0, and 25.6% in the experimental field sites of Muan-gun, Sunchang-gun, Gwangju 1, and Gwangju 2, respectively, compared to the yield of the soybean obtained by conventional practice treatment (CPT); however in the Gimjae-si, the yield decreased by 10.6%. Results in both pods and seeds $plant^{-1}$ were significantly increased in Gwangju 2 by the GCM cultured broth treatment (GCMT). Ratio of 3 seeds $pod^{-1}$ in Sunchang-gun was statistically significant between GCMT and CPT, however, the result in the other field showed no significance. Germination rate was only statistically improved by GCMT in Gwangju 2 field site. GCMT reduced the appearance of stink bug in all experimental field sites except in Gimjae-si. The soybean seed damage by stink bug was no significance in all of treatments. Therefore, GCMT could improve the productivity of soybean and also control the infestation of stink bug.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.410-420
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• 2012

The heavy reliance on fossil fuels, especially oil and gas has triggered the global energy crisis. Continued use of petroleum fuels is now widely recognized as unsustainable because of their depleting supplies and degradation to the environment. To become less dependent on fossil fuels, current world is shifting paradigm in energy by developing alternative energy sources mainly through the utilization of renewable energy sources. In particular, bioenergy recovery from wastes with the help of microorganism is viewed as one of the promising ways to mitigate the current global warming crisis as well as to supply global energy. It has been proved that microorganism can generate power by converting organic matter into electricity using microbial fuel cells (MFCs). MFC is a bioelectrochemical device that employs microbes to generate electricity from bio-convertible substrate such as wastewaters including municipal solid waste, industrial, agriculture wastes, and sewage. Sustainability, carbon neutral and generation of renewable energy are some of the major features of MFCs. However, the MFC technology is confronted with a number of issues and challenges such as low power production, high electrode material cost and so on. This paper reviews the recent developments in MFC technology with due consideration of electrode materials used in MFCs. In addition, application of biocathodes in MFCs has been discussed.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.215-232
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• 2020

Crude oils are essential source of energy. It is majorly found in geographical locations beneath the earth's surface and crude oil is the main factor for the economic developments in the world. Natural crude oil contains unrefined petroleum composed of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and it contains other organic materials like aromatic compounds, sulphur compounds, and many other organic compounds. These hydrocarbons are rapidly getting degraded by biosurfactant producing microorganisms. The present study deals with the isolation, purification, and characterization of biosurfactant producing microorganism from oil-contaminated soil. The ability of the microorganism producing biosurfactant was investigated by well diffusion method, drop collapse test, emulsification test, oil displacement activity, and blue agar plate method. The isolate obtained from the oil contaminated soil was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The identification was done by microscopic examinations and further characterization was done by Biochemical tests and 16SrRNA gene sequencing. Purification of the biosurfactant was performed by simple liquid-liquid extraction, and characterization of extracted biosurfactants was done using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The degradation of crude oil upon treatment with the partially purified biosurfactant was analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy and Gas-chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.401-408
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• 1992

The extracellular cholesterol oxidase produced from a soil microorganism HSL613 was purified and partially characterized. Through a series of purification procedures including concentration with CH2 concentrator, DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and gel filtration on Superose12, the purified enzyme was shown to have a specific activity of 108 units/mg protein giving 30.8-fold purification and final yield of 66%. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 59,500 daltons by SDS-PAGE. The optimum temperature and pH for this enzyme were $50^{\circ}C$ and 6.0, respectively. The activity of the purified cholesterol oxidase was inhibited by $Ag^{2+}$, $Hg^{2+}$ and SDS.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.713-719
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• 1996

Identification of soil microorganism strain B-6. a producer of acyl CoA synthetase inhibitor, based on its morphological, physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomical charact eristics was performed. The strain B-6 was identified as Bacillus subtilis. Ihe acyl CoA synthetase inhibitor produced by this strain was highly achieved in fermentation medium that contained glucose 1.0%, soluble starch 1.0%, NH$_4$Cl 0.3%, oatmeal 1.0%, pharmamedia 1.0%, basic magnesium carbonate 0.5%. pH 7.5 at 30$^{\circ}$C for 7 days. The optimal pH and temperature for growth were 9.0 and 30$^{\circ}$C, respectively. Butanol extract of culture filterate of strain B-6 in acyl CoA synthetase inhibitor production medium containing corn steep liquor exhibited high acyl CoA synthetase inhibitor activity and antimicrobial activity against C. albicans. But chloroform extract of culture filterate of strain B-6 in medium containing NH$_4$Cl, ($NH_4)_2SO_4$ or urea instead of corn steep liquor exhibited higher antimicrobial activity against C. albicans than that of butanol extract.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.183-187
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• 2000

Removal rate of nitrogen compound containing swine wastewater was 97 percent in case of high loading rate treatment of swine wastewater at studies for process development using soil microorganism. Minimum hydraulic retention time(HRT) for nitrification process was 11 days and solid retention time was 25 days. Nitrification was between 5 and 11 days but this time $NO_2-N$ was remained. Reactor condition was injured to nitrosomonas according to pH, $NO_2\;^--N$, and $NH_3\;^--N$ concentration but this condition was recover to pH controlling.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.32-39
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• 2013

This research focused on the effects of heavy metals on the biomonitoring activity of genetically engineered bioluminescent bacteria, Pseudomonas putida mt-2 KG1206. KG1206 was exposed to single or binary mixtures of different heavy metals as well as soils contaminated with heavy metals. In case of single exposure with different inducer pollutant, the toxicity order was as followings : As(III) > Cd, As(V) >> Cu, Cr(VI). The toxic effects of the binary mixtures was compared to the expected effect based on a simple theory of probabilities. The interactive effects were mostly additive, while in few cases antgonistic and synergistic mode of action was observed for some concentration combinations. No considerable correlation was found between the total metal contents in soils and the bioluminescence activity of each sample. However, statistically significant differences (p = 0.0102) were observed between two groups, classified based on arsenite contamination. These results demonstrate the usage of recombinant bioluminescent microorganism in biomonitoring and the complex interactive effects of metals.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.37
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• pp.5-15
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• 2016

We isolated microorganisms from soil arounding the stump and surface of stump in Bubjusa temple in Boeun, Heungguksa temple in Yeosu and Leeyongwoo house in Boseong. As a result, a distribution percentage of bacteria was high and there was a region-specific difference in bacteria colony. There was greater microbial diversity and population in the Leeyongwoo house in Boseong.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2020

The Earth contains billions of microbial species, although the vast majority cannot be cultured in laboratories and are thus considered unidentified and uncharacterized. Extremophiles are microorganisms that thrive in extreme conditions, including temperature, salinity, and pH. Extremophilic microorganisms have provided important insights for biological, metabolic, and evolutionary studies. Between 2017 and 2019, as part of a comprehensive investigation to identify bacterial species in Korea, eight bacterial strains were isolated from marine and non-marine environments in Jeju Island. These strains were cultured under extreme salinity or pH conditions. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA) gene sequencing indicated that all eight strains belonged to the phyla Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Alphaproteobacteria. Based on their high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities(>98.7%) and the formation of strong monophyletic clades with their closest related species, all isolated strains were considered as an unrecorded strain, previously unidentified species. Gram stain reaction, culture conditions, colony and cell morphology, biochemical characteristics, isolation source, and National Institute of Biological Resources(NIBR) IDs are described in this article. The characterization of these unrecorded strains provides information on microorganisms living in Korea.