• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.237-242
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• 2006

$Fe_3O_4$ and $CoFe_2O_4$ magnetic nanoparticles have been synthesized successfully in aqueous solution and coated with oleic acid. The solid and organic solution of the synthesized nanoparticles was obtained. Self-assembled monolayer films were formed using organic solution of these nanoparticles. The crystal sizes determined by Debye-Scherre equation with XRD data were found close to the particle sizes calculated from TEM images, and this indicates that the synthesized particles are nanocrystalline. Especially, EDS, ED, FT-IR, TGA/DTA and DSC were used to characterize the nanoparticles and the oleic acid adsorption, and it was found that oleic acid molecule on the $Fe_3O_4$ nanoparticle is a bilayer adsorption, while that on $CoFe_2O_4$ nanoparticle is single layer adsorption. The superparamagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles was documented by the hysteresis loop measured at 300 K.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.895-908
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• 2023

Disposal of waste containing heavy metals into the environment is a major threat to human health and can result in toxic or chronic poisoning in aquatic life. In the current study, metal-resistant Raoultella ornithinolytica was isolated from metal-contaminated samples collected from the Tanjaro River, located southwest of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. R. ornithinolytica was identified by partial amplification of 16S rRNA. The uptake potency of heavy metals was assessed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and indicated that R. ornithinolytica removed 67, 89, 63.4, 55.6, 56.5, 65, and 61.9% of Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Co, and Fe, respectively. These removal rates were influenced by temperature, pH, and contact time; at 35℃ and pH 5 with a change in the incubation time, the reduction rate improved from 89 to 95% for Pb, from 36.4 to 45% for Cu, and from 55.6 to 64% for Ni. Gene analysis indicated that R. ornithinolytica contained pbrT, chrB, nccA, iroN, and czcA genes, but the pcoD gene was absent. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) images showed evidence of metal ion binding on the cell wall surface with different rates of binding. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) detected different mechanisms for metal particle localization; cell surface adsorption was the main mechanism for Pb, Zn, and Co uptake, while Cd, Ni, and Fe were accumulated inside the cell. The current study describes, for the first time, the isolation of R. ornithinolytica from metal-contaminated water, which can be used as an eco-friendly biological expedient for the remediation and detoxification of metals from contaminated environments.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1516-1522
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• 2014

A series of 20 wt % $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ and 3 wt % $Al_2O_3$ surface treatments were applied to $Li[Li_{0.2}Mn_{0.54}Co_{0.13}Ni_{0.13}]O_2$ substrates. The $Li[Li_{0.2}Mn_{0.54}Co_{0.13}Ni_{0.13}]O_2$ substrates were synthesized using a co-precipitation method. Sample (a) was left pristine and variations of the 20 wt % $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ and 3 wt % $Al_2O_3$ were applied to samples (b), (c) and (d). XRD was used to verify the space group of the samples as R$\bar{3}$m. Additional morphology and particle size data were obtained using SEM imagery. The $Al_2O_3$ coating layers of sample (b) and (d) were confirmed by TEM images and EDS mapping of the SEM images. 2032-type coin cells were fabricated in a glove box in order to investigate their electrochemical properties. The cells were charged and discharged at room temperature ($25^{\circ}C$) between 2.0V and 4.8V during the first cycle. The cells were then charged and discharged between 2.0V and 4.6V in subsequent cycles. Sample (d) exhibited lower irreversible capacity loss (ICL) in the first charge-discharge cycle as compared to sample (c). Sample (d) also had a higher discharge capacity of ~250 mAh/g during the first and second charge-discharge cycles when compared with sample (c). The rate capability of the $Al_2O_3$-coated sample (b) and (d) was lower when compared with sample (a) and (c). Sample (d), coated with $Al_2O_3$ after the surface treatment with $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, showed an improvement in cycle performance as well as an enhancement of discharge capacity. The thermal stability of sample (d) was higher than that of the sample (c) as the result of DSC.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.284-294
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• 2006

Statement of problem. Proliferation of Candida albicans is primarily within the plaque on the fitting surface of the denture rather than on the inflamed mucosa. Consequently, the treatment of the denture is equally important as treatment of the tissue. Cleansing and disinfection should be efficiently carried-out as the organisms can penetrate into the voids of the acrylic resin and grow in them, from which they can continue to infect and reinfect bearing tissues. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability of photocatalytic reaction to eliminate Candida albicans from acrylic resin denture base, and to investigate the anti-fungal effect with various UVA illumination time. Materials and Methods. The specimens were cured by the conventional method following the manufacturer's instruction using thermal polymerized denture base resin (Vertex RS: Dentimex, Netherlands). $TiO_2$ photocatalyst sol(LT), which is able to be coated at normal temperature, was made from the Ti-alkoxide progenitor. The XRD patterns, TEM images and nitrogen absorption ability of the $TiO_2$ photocatalyst sol(LT) were compared with the commercial $TiO_2$ photocatalyst P-25. The experimental specimens were coated with the mixture of the $TiO_2$ photocatalyst sol(LT) and binder material (silane) using dip-coater, and uncoated resin plates were used as the control group. Crystallinity of $TiO_2$ of the specimen was tested by the XRD. Size, shape and chemical compositions were also analyzed using the FE-SEM/ EDS. The angle and methylene blue degradation efsciency were measured for evaluating the photocatalytic activity of the $TiO_2$ film. Finally, the antifungal activity of the specimen was tested. Candida albicans KCTC 7629(1 ml, initial concentration $10^5$ cells/ ml) were applied to the experiment and control group specimens and subsequently two UVA light source with 10W, 353 nm peak emission were illuminated to the specimens from 15cm above. The extracted $2{\mu}l$ of sample was plated on nutrient agar plate ($Bacto^{TM}$ Brain Heart Infusion; BD, USA) with 10 minute intervals for 120 minute, respectively. It was incubated for 24 hours at $37^{\circ}C$ and the colony forming units (CFUs) were then counted. Results. Compared the characteristics of LT photocatalyst with commercial P-25 photocatalyst, LT were shown higher activity than P-25. The LT coated experimental specimen surface had anatase crystal form, less than 20 nm of particle size and wide specific surface area. To evaluate the photocatalytic activity of specimens, methylene blue degradation reaction were used and about 5% of degradation rate were measured after 2 hours. The average contact angle was less than $20^{\circ}$ indicating that the LT photocatalyst had hydrophilicity. In the antifungal activity test for Candida albicans, 0% survival rate were measured within 30 minute after irradiation of UVA light. Conclusion. From the results reported above, it is concluded that the UVA-LT photocatalytic reaction have an antifungal effect on the denture surface Candida albicans, and so that could be applicable to the clinical use as a cleaning method.