• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.109-118
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• 2015

Open raceway ponds are cost-efficient for mass cultivation of microalgae compared with photobioreactors. Although low-cost options like wastewater as nutrient source is studied to overcome the commercialization threshold for biodiesel production from microalgae, a cost analysis on the use of wastewater and other incremental increases in productivity has not been elucidated. We determined the effect of using wastewater and wavelength filters on microalgal productivity. Experimental results were then fitted into a model, and cost analysis was performed in comparison with control raceways. Three different microalgal strains, Chlorella vulgaris AG10032, Chlorella sp. JK2, and Scenedesmus sp. JK10, were tested for nutrient removal under different light wavelengths (blue, green, red, and white) using filters in batch cultivation. Blue wavelength showed an average of 27% higher nutrient removal and at least 42% higher chemical oxygen demand removal compared with white light. Naturally, the specific growth rate of microalgae cultivated under blue wavelength was on average 10.8% higher than white wavelength. Similarly, lipid productivity was highest in blue wavelength, at least 46.8% higher than white wavelength, whereas FAME composition revealed a mild increase in oleic and palmitic acid levels. Cost analysis reveals that raceways treating wastewater and using monochromatic wavelength would decrease costs from 2.71 to 0.73 $/kg biomass. We prove that increasing both biomass and lipid productivity is possible through cost-effective approaches, thereby accelerating the commercialization of low-value products from microalgae, like biodiesel.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.215-220
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• 2016

A new immobilization technique of nanoscale $TiO_2$ powder to expanded polystyrene (EPS) balls with temperature-controlled melting method was developed, and the photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ powder-embedded EPS balls were evaluated using methylene blue (MB) solution under ultraviolet irradiation (${\lambda}=254nm$). Based on the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and associated energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis, the components of the intact EPS balls were mainly carbon and oxygen, whereas those of $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls were carbon, oxygen, and titanium, indicating that relatively homogenous patches of $TiO_2$ and glycerin film were coated on the surface of EPS balls. Based on the comparison of degradation efficiencies of MB between intact and $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls under UVC illumination, the degradation efficiencies of MB can be significantly improved using $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls, and surface reactions in heterogeneous photocatalysis were more dominant than photo-induced radical reactions in aqueous solutions. Thus, $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS balls were found to be an effective photocatalyst for photodegradation of organic compounds in aqueous solutions without further processes (i.e., separation, recycling, and regeneration of $TiO_2$ powder). Further study is in progress to evaluate the feasibility for usage of buoyant $TiO_2$-immobilized EPS to inhibit the excessive growth of algae in rivers and lakes.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.2 s.112
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• pp.181-187
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• 2005

For 4 years (2000 ${\sim}$ 2003), annual fluctuations of standing crops of cyanobacteria and physicochemical factors were examined at five sites from Bridge of Seungsoo to Bridge of Seungsan in the lower part of Han River. The cyanobacterial abundance (ND to 4,167 cells $mL^{-1}$) was strongly decreased during the heavy rains in every year. During the similar periods in 2003, cyanobacteria hardly observed, and comprised below of 10 percentage of total phytoplankton. In the period of little cyanobacteria, some green algae and diatom dominated the phytoplankton community, while the concentration of chlorophyll a has not largely change. These results indicate that heavy frequent precipitation strongly limited the growth of cyanobacteria, and lead an algal succession by the appearance of new algal groups.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.670-679
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• 2017

An experiment to study the effect of temperature, light, and dredging on release of nutrients downstream from Gongjicheon in the Uiam reservoir was carried out in the laboratory using sediments from different depths. At various water temperatures, dissolved total nitrogen was not released, but the average nutrient flux of dissolved total phosphorus was increased (0.034 at $15^{\circ}C$, 0.005 at $20^{\circ}C$, 0.154 at $25^{\circ}C$, $0.592mg/m^2/d$ at $30^{\circ}C$). Dissolved total phosphorous was released in controlled darkness. In contrast, in controlled light, the concentrations of dissolved total phosphorous and dissolved total nitrogen in the overlying water steadily decreased during the study period (70 d), because they were continuously consumed by the growth of photosynthetic algae. However, there was no significant relationship between water nutrient concentration, nutrient release, and the depth of the sediment. We concluded that the dredging of sediment would not affect the nutrient release rate of the sediment, because there were no significant differences in the nutrient concentrations released from the sediment. When the sediment was removed from the surface to 20 cm in depth, the nutrients were not transferred to the water body, implying that the sediment removal had little effect on secondary pollution.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.100-104
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• 2012

Oligosaccharides production showed various biological activities in vivo like functional foods and industrial materials utilized available within many practical applications which have obtained from the degradation of alginate. Alginate is rich in the main component of seaweeds especially the brown algae. We investigated what degrading alginate from seaweeds to make alginate oligosaccharides can utilize in various fields using enzyme secreting Erwinia tasmaniensis. In this study, we observed an optimal culture condition of E. tasmaniensis, and characteristics of alginate lyase secreting E. tasmaniensis. These bacteria, E. tasmaniensis, were isolated from Nuruk. In this case, a suitable growth factor for E. tasmaniensis was culture it for 36 h in broth media on concentration of 1.0% (w/v) alginate. The enzyme showed the highest level of alginate lyase activity when cultured on broth media containing 1.0% (w/v) sodium alginate for 72 h. Optimal condition of pH, temperature and duration time for alginate lyase activity were found to be pH 6.0, $20^{\circ}C$ and 60 min, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.2 s.98
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• pp.133-140
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• 2002

This study was performed in lab scaled oxidation pond. The removal efficiency of pollutant on the influence of changes of hydraulic retention time and pond style was investigated. The correlation between organic removal efficiency and dissolved oxygen concentration on algal photosynthesis showed the light time revealed a higher relationship more than the dark time, and the squares of the correlation coefficient of 15 days retention time were higher than that of 5 days in single pond. The variation of dissolved oxygen concentration of a series pond was from 4.2 to 19.8 mg/l under 5 days retention time, the concentration of dissolved oxygen increased with increasing step of series pond. Between the single pond and a series of pond system, a series of pond system showed better organic removal efficiency. Average removal efficiency range of $TBOD_5$ and $SBOD_5$ was $49{\sim}83%$ and $87{\sim}92%$, respectively. Algae should be removed appropriately to increase the removal efficiency of organic matter.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1044-1051
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• 2006

The barren ground is an abnormal phenomenon of coastal ecosystem in which seaweeds, are destroyed and mostly replaced by the coralline algae containing the calcium carbonate components. To restore the seaweed forest, We have exerted an effort in the local areas, Samchuck, Korea, where barren phenomena are profound. Two methods of seaweed forest construction developed in the present study are underwater longline and seed transplantation for the brown seaweed Costaria costata, a fast growing edible seaweed. The sizes of C. costata attached on the underwater longline were $96.7{\pm}2.2mm$ of blade length and $83.6{\pm}7.7g$ of blade weight in April. Thereafter the sizes declined from May. Similar pattern was obtained from in the transplantation method with maxima of $90.4{\pm}15.8mm$ and $70.1{\pm}31.7g$ for blade length and weight, respectively in April. It appeared totality maturation from two methods in May. This maturation time is the same like that of wild C. costata.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2009

Fifty seven species of common seaweed from the coast of Korea were screened for antifungal activity against Malassezia species. Seaweeds as a source of bioactive compounds are able to produce a great variety of secondary metabolites with different activities. There are numerous reports on the biological activities of seaweeds against human pathogens, fungi, and yeasts, but only few contain data regarding inhibitory effects against Malassezia sp., a major cause of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. To help address this paucity of information, this work was carried out to examine the antifungal effects of seaweed extracts against M. furfur and M. restricta. Of the fifty seven species of marine algae screened for their potential antifungal activity, only 17 species (29.8%) exhibited inhibitory activity. In agar disc diffusion method, the ether extracts of Corallina pilulifera, Enteromorpha linza, Laminaria japonica, Symphyocladia latiuscula and Ulva sp. showed strong antifungal activity. To identify major constituents in seaweed extracts, four selected extracts were analyzed on' a GC-MS equipped with a flame ionization detector, and compared to spectral data from databases WILEY229.LIB and NIST107.LIB. Most constituents in seaweed extracts are fatty acid-related compounds. When we evaluated any acute toxicity, the ether extracts of the selected four species were not toxic in mice. According to these results, it can be suggested that these seaweed extracts are valuable for the development of therapeutic agents in treating dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Further investigations to determine its bioactive compound(s) are currently in progress.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2009

Fucoidan is a uniquely-structured sulfated fucose-rich polysaccharide derived from brown algae. Recently, the abalone glycosidase-digested fucoidan extract (fucoidan extract) derived from seaweed Cladosiphon novae-caledoniae Kylin (Mozuku) draws much attention because of its clinical anti-cancer effect in Japan. Here, we report the cancer cells-specific apoptosis inducing effects of the fucoidan extract. The fucoidan extract suppressed the growth of various anchorage-dependent and -independent cancer cells. The fucoidan extract contained low molecular weight components, which induced apoptosis of human leukemic HL 60 cells but not of human lymphocytes. It was shown that the fucoidan extract lead caspase 3/7 activation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in HL 60 cells. Another function of the fucoidan extract was also observed. It has been known that sugar chain expression on the surface of cancer cell membrane changes dependent on their malignancy. The analysis on sugar chain expression profiling using FITC-labeled lectins revealed that the expression of concanavalin A (Con A) binding sugar chain was enhanced by the treatment of human lung adenocarcinoma A549, human uterine carcinoma HeLa and human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells with the fucoidan extract. Con A-induced apoptosis of cancer cells was stimulated in a dose-and time-dependent manner by the treatment with the fucoidan extract but not of human normal fibroblast TIG-1 cells.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.323-331
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• 2007

Barren ground is an abnormal phenomenon in coastal ecosystems where seaweeds are destroyed and largely replaced by coralline algae containing calcium carbonate components. To restore the seaweed forest, we attempted reconstruction in an area of Samcheok, Korea, where barrenness is extensive. We developed two methods of seaforest construction underwater longline and seed transplantation for the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica, a fast-growing edible seaweed. The blade length of L. japonica attached to an underwater long line was $93.9{\pm}38.2cm$ and blade weight $7.6{\pm}2.1g$ in February 2004. Seaweed size declined after August 2004. A Similar pattern was observed using the transplantation method with maxima of $179.3{\pm}40.3cm\;and\;14.9{\pm}3.2g$ for blade length and weight, respectively in July 2004. The transplanted seaweeds matured in October as did a wild population. These results indicate that transplanted seaweed acclimate to new environments.