• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권9호
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• pp.1241-1255
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• 2021

This study was carried out to explore a non-chemical strategy for enhancing productivity by employing some antagonistic rhizobacteria. One hundred eighteen bacterial isolates were obtained from the rhizospheric zone of various crop fields of Gangwon-do, Korea, and screened for antifungal activity against Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae) in lettuce crop under in vitro and in vivo conditions. In broth-based dual culture assay, fourteen bacterial isolates showed significant inhibition of mycelial growth of F. oxysporium f. sp. lactucae. All of the antagonistic isolates were further characterized for the antagonistic traits under in vitro conditions. The isolates were identified on the basis of biochemical characteristics and confirmed at their species level by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Arthrobacter sulfonivorans, Bacillus siamensis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Pseudomonas proteolytica, four Paenibacillus peoriae strains, and Bacillus subtilis were identified from the biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The isolates EN21 and EN23 showed significant decrease in disease severity on lettuce compared to infected control and other bacterial treatments under greenhouse conditions. Two bacterial isolates, EN4 and EN21, were evaluated to assess their disease reduction and growth promotion in lettuce in field conditions. The consortium of EN4 and EN21 showed significant enhancement of growth on lettuce by suppressing disease caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucae respectively. This study clearly indicates that the promising isolates, EN4 (P. proteolytica) and EN21 (Bacillus siamensis), can be commercialized and used as biofertilizer and/or biopesticide for sustainable crop production.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.585-595
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• 2019

Analysis of bacterial communities based on their 16S rDNA sequences revealed the predominance of Proteobacteria (Aeromonas sp., Acinetobacter sp. and Thaueraamino aromatica sp.) and uncultured bacterium in activated sludge from the effluent treatment plant (ETP) of Mother Dairy, Calcutta (India). Each isolate was used for bioremediation of dairy wastewater with simultaneous conversion of nitrogenous pollutants into ammonia. A consortium developed using seven of these isolates and three Bacillus strains from different environmental origins could reduce 93% nitrate with simultaneous production of ammonia (626 ㎍/100 ml) within 20 h in non-aerated, immobilized conditions as compared to 82% nitrate reduction producing 2.4 ㎍/100 ml ammonia in 96 h with extensive aeration in a conventional ETP. The treated ammonia-rich effluent could be used instead of freshwater and fertilizer during cultivation of mung bean with 1.6-fold increase in grain yield. The ETP with the surrounding agricultural land makes this process a zero liquid discharge technology for using the biofertilizer generated. In addition, the process requires minimal energy supporting sustained environmental health. This method is thus proposed as an alternative approach for small-scale dairy ETPs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권11호
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• pp.1772-1781
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• 2007

Activated sludge was sequentially adapted to benzene, toluene, and o-xylene (BTX) to study the effects on the change of microbial community. Sludge adapted to BTX separately degraded each by various rates in the following order; toluene>o-xylene>benzene. Degradation rates were increased after exposure to repeated spikes of substrates. Eleven different kinds of sludge were prepared by the combination of BTX sequential adaptations. Clustering analyses (Jaccard, Dice, Pearson, and cosine product coefficient and dimensional analysis of MDS and PCA for DGGE patterns) revealed that acclimated sludge had different features from nonacclimated sludge and could be grouped together according to their prior treatment. Benzene- and xylene-adapted sludge communities showed similar profiles. The sludge profile was affected from the point of the final adaptation substrate regardless of the adaptation sequence followed. In the sludge adapted to 50 ppm toluene, Nitrosomonas sp. and bacterium were dominant, but these bands were not dominant in benzene and benzene after toluene adaptations. Instead, Flexibacter sp. was dominant in these cultures. Dechloromonas sp. was dominant in the culture adapted to 50 ppm benzene. Thauera sp. was the main band in the sludge adapted to 50 ppm xylene, but became vaguer as the xylene concentration was increased. Rather, Flexibacter sp. dominated in the sludge adapted to 100 ppm xylene, although not in the culture adapted to 250 ppm xylene. Two bacterial species dominated in the sludge adapted to 250 ppm xylene, and they also existed in the sludge adapted to 250 ppm xylene after toluene and benzene.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권7호
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• pp.1156-1167
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize lead (Pb)-solubilizing bacteria from heavy metal-contaminated mine soils and to evaluate their inoculation effects on the growth and Pb absorption of Brassica juncea. The isolates were also evaluated for their plant growth-promoting characteristics as well as heavy metal and salt tolerance. A total of 171 Pb-tolerant isolates were identified, of which only 15 bacterial strains were able to produce clear haloes in solid medium containing PbO or $PbCO_3$, indicating Pb solubilization. All of these 15 strains were also able to dissolve the Pb minerals in a liquid medium, which was accompanied by significant decreases in pH values of the medium. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the Pb-solubilizing strains belonged to genera Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Brevibacterium, and Staphylococcus. A majority of the Pb-solubilizing strains were able to produce indole acetic acid and siderophores to different extents. Two of the Pb-solubilizing isolates were able to solubilize inorganic phosphate as well. Some of the strains displayed tolerance to different heavy metals and to salt stress and were able to grow in a wide pH range. Inoculation with two selected Pb-solubilizing and plant growth-promoting strains, (i.e., Brevibacterium frigoritolerans YSP40 and Bacillus paralicheniformis YSP151) and their consortium enhanced the growth and Pb uptake of B. juncea plants grown in a metal-contaminated soil. The bacterial strains isolated in this study are promising candidates to develop novel microbe-assisted phytoremediation strategies for metal-contaminated soils.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.607-613
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• 2001

The biodegradation rates of diesel oil by a selected diesel-degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas stutzeri strain Y2G1, and microbial consortia composed of combinations of 5 selected diesel-degrading bacterial were determined in liquid and soil systems. The diesel degradation rate by strain Y2G1 linearly increased $(R^2=0.98)$ as the diesel concentration increased up to 12%, and a degradation rate as high as 5.64 g/l/day was obtained. The diesel degradation by strain Y2G1 was significantly affected by several environmental factors, and the optimal conditions for pH, temperature, and moisture content were at pH8, $25^{\circ}C$, and 10%, respectively. In the batch soil microcosm tests, inoculation, especially in the form of a consortium, and the addition of nutrients both significantly enhanced the diesel degradation by a factor of 1.5 and 4, respectively. Aeration of the soil columns effectively accelerated the diesel degradation, and the initial degradation rate was obviously stimulated with the addition of inorganic nutrients. Based on these results, it was concluded that the major rate-limiting factors in the tested diesel-contaminated soil were the presence of inorganic nutrients, oxygen, and diesel-degrading microorganisms. To resolve these limiting parameters, bioremediation strategies were specifically designed for the tested soil, and the successful mitigation of the limiting parameters resulted in an enhancement of the bioremediation efficiency by a factor of 11.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.110-115
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• 2007

Electrochemically active bacteria were successfully enriched in an electrochemical cell using a positively poised working electrode. The positively poised working electrode (+0.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl) was used as an electron acceptor for enrichment and growth of electrochemically active bacteria. When activated sludge and synthetic wastewater were fed to the electrochemical cell, a gradual increase in amperometric current was observed. After a period of time in which the amperometric current was stabilized (generally 8 days), linear correlations between the amperometric signals from the electrochemical cell and added BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) concentrations were established. Cyclic voltammetry of the enriched electrode also showed prominent electrochemical activity. When the enriched electrodes were examined with electron microscopy and confocal scanning laser microscopy, a biofilm on the enriched electrode surface and bacterium-like particles were observed. These experimental results indicate that the electrochemical system in this study is a useful tool for the enrichment of an electrochemically active bacterial consortium and could be used as a novel microbial biosensor.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.1032-1041
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• 2010

The comparative influence of two nanoparticles [viz., superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) and nanobarium titanate (NBT)] upon the in vitro and in situ low-density polyethylene (LDPE) biodegradation efficiency of a potential polymer-degrading microbial consortium was studied. Supplementation of 0.01% concentration (w/v) of the nanoparticles in minimal broth significantly increased the bacterial growth, along with early onset of the exponential phase. Under in vitro conditions, ${\lambda}$-max shifts were quicker with nanoparticles and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) illustrated significant changes in CH/$CH_2$ vibrations, along with introduction of hydroxyl residues in the polymer backbone. Moreover, simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTG-DTA) reported multiple-step decomposition of LDPE degraded in the presence of nanoparticles. These findings were supported by scanning electron micrographs (SEM), which revealed greater dissolution of the film surface in the presence of nanoparticles. Furthermore, progressive degradation of the film was greatly enhanced when it was incubated under soil conditions for 3 months with the nanoparticles. The study highlights the significance of bacteria-nanoparticle interactions, which can dramatically influence key metabolic processes like biodegradation. The authors also propose the exploration of nanoparticles to influence various other microbial processes for commercial viabilities.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권9호
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• pp.1434-1443
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• 2019

Although chemical oxygen demand (COD) is an important issue for wastewater treatment, COD reduction with microalgae has been less studied compared to nitrogen or phosphorus removal. COD removal is not efficient in conventional wastewater treatment using microalgae, because the algae release organic compounds, thereby finally increasing the COD level. This study focused on enhancing COD removal and meeting the effluent standard for discharge by optimizing sludge inoculation timing, which was an important factor in forming a desirable algae/bacteria consortium for more efficient COD removal and higher biomass productivity. Activated sludge has been added to reduce COD in many studies, but its inoculation was done at the start of cultivation. However, when the sludge was added after 3 days of cultivation, at which point the COD concentration started to increase again, the algal growth and biomass productivity were higher than those of the initial sludge inoculation and control (without sludge). Algal and bacterial cell numbers measured by qPCR were also higher with sludge inoculation at 3 days later. In a semi-continuous cultivation system, a hydraulic retention time of 5 days with sludge inoculation resulted in the highest biomass productivity and N/P removal. This study achieved a further improved COD removal than the conventional microalgal wastewater treatment, by introducing bacteria in activated sludge at optimized timing.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제53권2호
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• pp.83-96
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• 2017

부산시 영도구의 혁신지구의 인공해수천은 높아진 하상과 조류의 특성으로 인해 물이 순환되지 않고 더구나 주위의 오수가 유입되고 있어서 수질이 나빠지고 악취를 발생하고 있다. 이 문제를 해결하기 위한 방안으로 가장 오염되고 조류이동을 감안한 하천의 지점에 생물증강법을 적용하여 친환경적, 효율적으로 하천을 정화하고자 하였다. 현장에서 활성화된 복합미생물을 가장 오염된 지점(Site 2)에 7~10일 간격으로 투입하여, 수질의 pH, 온도, DO, ORP, SS, COD, T-N, 및 T-P를 측정하였고 또한 하상퇴적토의 COD 및 미생물군집을 분석하였다. 13개월 후 Site 2의 수질 SS, COD, T-N 및 COD (퇴적토)의 처리효율은 각각 51%, 58%, 27% 및 35%으로 나타났으나 T-P는 오히려 47% 증가를 보였다. 대부분의 측정지점에서 황산염환원세균(sulfate reducing bacteria)그룹 (Desulfobacteraceae_uc_s, Desulfobacterales_uc_s, Desulfuromonadaceae_uc_s, Desulfuromonas_g1_uc and Desulfobacter postgatei)과 Anaerolinaeles의 밀도는 대체적으로 생물증강에 의한 정화가 진행될수록 감소하였으며, 반면에 Gamma-proteobacteria (NOR5-6B_s and NOR5-6A_s), Bacteroidales_uc_s, 및 Flavobacteriales_uc_s의 밀도는 증가하는 경향이었다. 상대적으로 COD가 낮고 DO가 높은 청정지점인 St. 4에서는 호기성미생물인 Flavobacteriaceae_uc_s가 우점하였다. 이러한 미생물군은 하천의 정화과정을 추적할 수 있는 지표미생물로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단되었다. 생물증강 시행 후의 대표적 시점 퇴적토시료의 미생물군집 alpha diversity 지수(OTUs, Chao1 및 Shannon 지수)는 시행 전에 비해 감소하는 경향을 보였으며, 또한 beta diversity 분석기법(fast unifrac 분석)으로 분석한 결과 정화 전이나 초기에 비해서 정화가 진행될수록 전반적으로 시료에 무관하게 미생물군집의 유사성을 보여 생물증강이 현장 토착 미생물의 군집구조를 변화시키고 있음을 확인하였다. 이러한 사실로 보아 본 복합미생물에 의한 현장 생물증강법은 brine water 및 담수로 이루어진 오염된 하천을 환경친화적, 경제적으로 정화할 수 있는 대안으로 판단이 되었다.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.38-44
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• 2006

본 연구에서는 독립영양 황탈질반응을 이용한 질산성 질소 처리 반응 벽체의 탈질능과 미생물학적 안정성을 확인하기 위하여 황/석회석과 독립영양 황탈질 미생물을 이용한 칼럼 반응기를 상향식으로 500일간 운전하여 시간과 깊이에 따른 질산성 질소의 제거 효율을 분석하였으며, 반응기 내부의 미생물 군집 변화를 16S rDNA-cloning 염기서열 분석법 및 DGGE 기법으로 분석하였다. 실험 결과, 미생물의 대사 활동에 따라 칼럼 깊이 별로 질산성 질소 제거율 및 미생물 군집 분포의 큰 차이가 나타났다. 칼럼 반응기의 질산성 질소 제거율은 99%에 달하였으며, 특히 칼럼 아래쪽에서 질산성 질소 제거율이 매우 높게 나타났다. 시간에 따른 제거율은 칼럼 운전 100일 후부터 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 초기 접종원에서는 독립영양 황탈질 미생물인 OTU DE-1, Thiobacillus denitrificans의 비율이 15%에 불과하였으며 반응기 운전 초기에는 접종원 및 100일 운전 후 반응기의 윗부분에서 종속영양 탈질 미생물인 OTU DE-2, Cenibacterium arsenioxidans와 DE-3, Geothrix fermentans가 78%와 90%로 높은 비율을 차지하여 종속영양탈질 미생물들이 우점종을 차지하였다. 그러나 OTU DE-1은 100일 후에 칼럼 아래쪽에서 94%의 비율을 차지하여 우점종이 되었으며, 500일 운전 후 분석한 결과 칼럼 전체에서 86%를 차지하여 독립영양 황탈질 미생물이 안정적으로 적응하였음을 알 수 있었다.