• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.501-506
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• 2019

New technology-driven biocatalysts are revolutionizing the biochemical industries. With maximum utilization of renewable feedstock, biocatalysts have been the basis for a major breakthrough. Lipases are the most widely established catalysts used for hydrolysis, esterification and transesterification reactions. In this research, a biochemical process that combines extraction of lipase enzyme from germinated wheat seeds and its application to valorize glycerol to acetins by esterification is presented. Acetins are among highly rated, value-added products derived from glycerol. The favorable conditions for the enzymatic conversion of glycerol were observed as glycerol to acetic acid molar ratio (1:5), reaction temperature ($40^{\circ}C$) and the amount of enzyme (20% v/v). 65.93% of glycerol conversion was achieved for duration of 15 h with the use of tert-butanol solvent. This method proposes to explore the viability of a biological route to convert glycerol derived from biodiesel industry to acetins with further streamlining.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.762-767
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• 2009

In this study, the feasibility of using vegetable oil extracted from tropical crop seed as a biodiesel feedstock was investigated by producing biodiesel and analysing the quality parameters as a transport fuel. In order to produce biodiesel efficiently, two step reaction process(pre-treatment and transesterificaion) was required because the tropical crop oil have a high content of free fatty acids. To determine the suitable acid catalyst for the pre-esterification, three kinds of acid catalysts were tested and sulfuric acid was identified as the best catalyst. After constructing the experimental matrix based on RSM and analysing the statistical data, the optimal pre-treatment conditions were determined to be 26.7% of methanol and 0.982% of sulfuric acid. Trans-esterification experiments of the pre-esterified oil based on RSM were carried out, then discovered 1.24% of KOH catalyst and 22.76% of methanol as the optimal trans-esterification conditions. However, the quantity of KOH was higher than the previously established KOH concentration of our team. So, we carried out supplemental experiment to determine the quantity of catalyst and methanol. As a result, the optimal transesterification conditions were determined to be 0.8% of KOH and 16.13% of methanol. After trans-esterification of tropical crop oil, the produced biodiesel could meet the major quality standard specifications; 100.8% of FAME, 0.45 mgKOH/g of acid value, 0.00% of water, 0.04% of total glycerol, $4.041mm^2/s$ of kinematic viscosity(at $40^{\circ}C$).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.400-407
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• 2016

A unicellular green alga, Chlorella vulgaris KNUA027, was isolated from the roots of Panax ginseng seedlings and its biotechnological potential was investigated. The results of GC/MS analysis showed that C. vulgaris KNUA027 was rich in nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as alpha-linolenic acid (C_18:3 ω3, 45.8%, 50.8 mg/g) and hexadecatrienoic acid (C_16:3 ω3, 11.8%, 13.1 mg/g). Therefore, this Korean indigenous microalga may have potential as a source of omega-3 PUFAs. It was also found that the saturated palmitic acid (C_16:0, 37.1%, 41.2 mg/g), which is suitable for biodiesel production, was one of the major fatty acids produced by strain KNUA027. The proximate analysis showed that the volatile matter content was 88.5%, and the ultimate analysis indicated that the higher heating value was 19.8 MJ/kg. Therefore, the results from this research with C. vulgaris KNUA027 may provide the basis for the production of microalgae-based biofuels and biomass feedstock.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.106.2-106.2
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• 2010

동식물성 기름과 메탄올의 전이에스테르화 반응에 의해 생산되는 바이오디젤은 환경친화성과 지속가능성이 인정됨에 따라 그 생산량이 급격히 증가하고 있어 대두유, 유채유, 팜유 등의 원료유 부족과 가격 상승, 수급 불안정 등의 문제가 대두되고 있다. 이를 해결하기 위한 방안으로 유리지방산 함량이 높은 저가유지 자원(폐식용유, 폐돈지, 폐우지, soapstock, trapped grease)과 새로운 오일 작물을 이용한 생산 기술 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 비활용 해외 열대작물 씨앗에서 착유한 식물성 오일을 정제하여 바이오디젤 원료유를 생산하는 과정에서 발생하는 폐기물(폐유, 폐수)의 경제적 처리 방안으로 유화유 제조 원료(벙커C유, 물)와 유화유 제조 첨가제(무기계, 유기계)로 활용 가능성을 검토하였다. 열대작물 오일의 물성 분석 결과 고형물, 수분, 인지질(phospholipid), 유리지방산(free fatty acid) 함량이 기존 원료유보다 매우 높게 나타났다. 인지질은 바이오디젤 제조 반응후 에스테르와 글리세린의 층분리를 방해하고 유리지방산은 염기촉매와 결합하여 지방산염을 생성해 생산 수율을 감소시킨다. 고형물과 수분 역시 촉매반응에 악영향을 가지나 여과와 감압증발에 의해 쉽게 제거가 가능하다. 유리지방산은 산촉매 에스테르화 반응에 의해 제거가 가능하다. 인지질은 탈검(degumming) 과정을 통해 제거하며 탈검은 수용성 탈검, 산 탈검, 세정 공정으로 구성된다. 착유한 원료유의 고형물을 제거 후 물과 수세하여 수용성 인지질을 수화하여 층 분리해 제거하고 상층의 오일은 추가적인 산 탈검을 수행한다. 그 뒤 세정을 통해 사용된 탈검제인 산과 추가적으로 수화된 인지질을 제거하게 된다. 이러한 3단계의 탈검 과정에서 하층으로 오일과 물이 폐기물로서 배출되며 본 연구에서는 배출 폐기물을 다시 층분리하여 오일층과 물 층으로 구분하여 유화유 제조에 사용되는 벙커C유, 물, 그리고 기존 유기계 및 무기계 유화제의 대체 가능성을 조사하였다. 유화 연료유는 기름과 물을 균일한 분산상으로 혼합한 연료유로 연소시 오일계 성분의 미연분을 감소시켜 연료 효율 제고와 배출가스 성상을 개선하기 위해 개발되어 왔다. 본 발표에서는 다양한 종류의 상용 첨가제 및 바이오디젤 원료유 생산 폐기물을 활용해 유화 연료유를 제조하였으며 각 유화유의 장시간의 상(phase) 안정성을 비교하였다. 바이오 폐기물 중에는 천연 계면활성제(surfactant)인 인지질이 다량 함유되어 있어 기존의 무기계 및 유기계 유화제보다 상 안정성이 우수하게 나타났으며 바이오디젤 원료유 생산 공정의 폐기물인 폐유과 폐수의 활용이 가능한 것으로 나타났다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1072-1081
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• 2020

Screening suitable strains with high temperature adaptability is of great importance for reducing the cost of temperature control in microalgae cultivation, especially in summer. To obtain high temperature-tolerant diatoms, water samples were collected in summer from 7 different regions of China across the Northeast, North and East. A total of 731 water samples was collected and from them 131 diatom strains were isolated and identified based on the 18S rRNA sequences. Forty-nine strains out of the 131 diatoms could survive at 30℃, and 6 strains with relatively high biomass and lipid content at high temperature were selected and were found to be able to grow at 35℃. Cyclotella sp. HB162 had the highest dry biomass of 0.46 g/l and relatively high triacylglycerol (TAG) content of 237.4 mg/g dry biomass. The highest TAG content of 246.4 mg/g dry biomass was obtained in Fistulifera sp. HB236, while Nitzschia palea HB170 had high dry biomass (0.33 g/l) but relatively low TAG content (105.9 mg/g dry biomass). N. palea HB170 and Fistulifera sp. HB236 presented relatively stable growth rates and lipid yields under fluctuating temperatures ranging from 28 to 35℃, while Cyclotella HB162 maintained high lipid yield at temperatures below 25℃. The percentage of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids in all the 6 strains was 84-91% in total lipids and 90-94% in TAGs, which makes them the ideal feedstock for biodiesel.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.19-33
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• 2013

Microalgae are receiving an increasing attention because of their potential use as $CO_2$ capture method and/or as feedstock for biofuels production. On the other hand the current microalgae-based technology is still not widespread since it is characterized by technical and economic constraints that hinder its full scale-up. In such contest the growth kinetics of Nannochloris eucaryotum (a relatively unknown marine strain) in batch and semi-batch photobioreactors is quantitatively investigated with the aim of obtaining the corresponding kinetic parameters suitable for process engineering and its optimization. In particular the maximum growth rate was evaluated to be 1.99 $10^{-3}\;h^{-1}$. Half saturation concentrations for nitrates ($K_N$) and phosphates uptake ($K_P$) were evaluated as 5.4 $10^{-4}\;g_N\;L^{-1}$ and 2.5 $10^{-5}\;g_P\;L^{-1}$, respectively. Yield factors for nitrogen ($Y_N$) and phosphorus ($Y_P$) resulted to be 5.9 $10^{-2}\;g_N\;g^{-1}$ biomass and 6.0 $10^{-3}\;g_P\;g^{-1}{_{biomass}}$, respectively. The possibility of using 100% (v/v) $CO_2$ gas as carbon source is also evaluated for the first time in the literature as far as N. eucaryotum is concerned. The strain showed a good adaptability to high concentrations of dissolved $CO_2$ as well as to low pH. The lipid content under 100% $CO_2$ is about 16.16 %wt $wt^{-1}$ and the fatty acid methyl esters composition of the extracted oil is in compliance with the European regulation for quality biodiesel.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2014

Recently microalgae have been proposed as a promising biodiesel feedstock, owing to their higher lipid productivity and non-arable land based cultivation system. Biomass and lipid productivities of microalgae are largely affected by various environmental and nutritional factors. In this study, the effects of nitrogen (nitrate and ammonium) and organic carbon (glucose and glycerol) sources on the cell growth and lipid production of Chlorella sp. KR-1 were examined in flask cultures. Under autotrophic culture conditions for 15 days, overall cell growth and lipid (fatty acid methyl ester, FAME) production with nitrate were better than those of ammonium, resulting in 1.06 g cell/L and 333 mg FAME/L, respectively. Maximal intracellular lipid contents (348 - 352 mg FAME/g cell) were observed at low concentrations of 1 mM for both nitrate and ammonium. In the supply of light, addition of glucose in the range of 1 - 20 g/L showed higher cell densities than the autotrophic cell growth condition. Higher lipid accumulation of 375 mg FAME/g cell could achieved at 5 g glucose/L albeit of relatively short incubation of 7 days. With glycerol, intracellular lipid contents were ~1.9 times lower than glucose cases although similar cell growths were observed for both carbon sources.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.460-467
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• 2016

A filamentous cyanobacterium, Limnothrix sp. KNUA012, was axenically isolated from a freshwater bloom sample in Lake Hapcheon, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Its morphological and molecular characteristics led to identification of the isolate as a member of the genus Limnothrix. Maximal growth was attained when the culture was incubated at 25℃. Analysis of its lipid composition revealed that strain KNUA012 could autotrophically synthesize alkanes, such as pentadecane (C₁₅H₃₂) and heptadecane (C₁₇H₃₆), which can be directly used as fuel without requiring a transesterification step. Two genes involved in alkane biosynthesis－an acyl-acyl carrier protein reductase and an aldehyde decarbonylase－were present in this cyanobacterium. Some common algal biodiesel constituents－myristoleic acid (C_14:1), palmitic acid (C_16:0), and palmitoleic acid (C_16:1)－were produced by strain KNUA012 as its major fatty acids. A proximate analysis showed that the volatile matter content was 86.0% and an ultimate analysis indicated that the higher heating value was 19.8 MJ kg⁻¹. The isolate also autotrophically produced 21.4 mg g⁻¹ phycocyanin－a high-value antioxidant compound. Therefore, Limnothrix sp. KNUA012 appears to show promise for application in cost-effective production of microalga-based biofuels and biomass feedstock over crop plants.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.136-147
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• 2015

As it carry out RPS(Renewable Portfolio Standards), power producers are using the power bio-fuel oil to meet their RPS quota. In this study, we test the quality characteristics of raw materials for power bio-fuel oil and the property changes of power bio-fuel oil by the kind of feedstocks. The power bio-fuel oil and feedstocks were analyzed for item of quality standard such as acid number, viscosity and metal contents. And it was analyzed for composition distribution by FT-IT and HPLC. Such as low priced palm oil series has high acid number and ash contents due to high free-fatty acid and metal contents. And by-product of biodiesel have a tendency of high viscosity. The fuel properties of power bio-fuel oil, such as viscosity, acid number and metal contents are correlated with the constituent and the mixing ratio of the feedstocks.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.340-360
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• 2010

The depletion of fossil fuels, ecological problems associated with $CO_2$ emissions climate change, growing world population, and future energy supplies are forcing the development of alternative resources for energy (heat and electricity), transport fuels and chemicals: the replacement of fossil resources with $CO_2$ neutral biomass. Several options exist to cover energy supplies of the future, including solar, wind, and water power; however, chemical carbon source can get from biomass only. When used in combination with environmental friend production and processing technology, the use of biomass can be seen as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical feedstocks. The biorefinery concept is analogous to today's petroleum refinery, which produce multiple fuels and chemical products from petroleum. A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and value-added chemicals from biomass. Biorefinery is the co-production of a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, materials, and chemicals) and energy (fuels, power, and heat) from biomass [definition IEA Bioenergy Task 42]. By producing multiple products, a biorefinery takes advantage of the various components in biomass and their intermediates therefore maximizing the value derived from the biomass feedstocks. A biorefinery could, for example, produce one or several low-volume, but high-value, chemical or nutraceutical products and a low-value, but high-volume liquid transportation fuel such as biodiesel or bioethanol. Future biorefinery may play a major role in producing chemicals and materials as a bridge between agriculture and chemistry that are traditionally produced from petroleum. Industrial biotechnology is expected to significantly complement or replace the current petroleum-based industry and to play an important role.