• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.225-231
• /
• 2014

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) and bioelectrochemical systems are novel bioprocesses which employ exoelectrogenic biofilm on electrode as a biocatalyst for electricity generation and various useful chemical production. Previous reports show that electrogenic biofilms of MFCs are time varying systems and dynamically interactive with the electrically conductive media (carbon paper as terminal electron acceptor). It has been reported that maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method can automatically control load by algorithm so that increase power generation and columbic efficiency. In this study, we developed logic based control strategy for external load resistance by using $LabVIEW^{TM}$ which increases the power production with using flat-plate MFCs and MPPT circuit board. The flat-plate MFCs inoculated with anaerobic digester sludge were stabilized with fixed external resistance from $1000{\Omega}$ to $100{\Omega}$. Automatic load control with MPPT started load from $52{\Omega}$ during 120 hours of operation. MPPT control strategy increased approximately 2.7 times of power production and power density (1.95 mW and $13.02mW/m^3$) compared to the initial values before application of MPPT (0.72 mW and $4.79mW/m^3$).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.255-260
• /
• 2005

PAHs are aromatic hydrocarbon compunds with two or more benzene rings. Because they are mostly toxic to human life, they need to be converted to non-toxic compunds or to be degraded completely. This work aims to degrade PAHs (phenanthrene and pyrene) using Bacillus bacteria covered on cork or sawdust. The results show that media effect on phenanthrene was negligible whereas biodegradation ability of sawdust carrying the bacteria was better than that of biofilm-covered cork when pyrene was tested. PAH removal was also affected by soil moisture content with $45\~55\%$ of the optimal content.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.44-56
• /
• 1998

This study was performed to investigate the reaction characteristics of piggery wastewater for biological nutrient removal. The reaction characteristics were discussed the fraction of organics, the behavior of nitrogen, nitrification, denitrification, and the behavior of phosphorus. The fraction of readily biodegradable soluble COD was 11-12 percent. The ammonia nitrogen was removed via stripping, nitrification, autotrophic cell synthesis, and heterotrophic cell synthesis. The removal percents by each step were 12.1%, 68.9%, 15.0%, and 4.0%, respectively. Nitrification inhibition of piggery wastewater was found to occur at an influent volumetric loading rate over 0.2 NH$_{3}$-N kg/m$^{3}$/d. Denitrification rates were the highest in the raw wastewater and the lowest in the anaerobic effluent. The denitritation of piggery wastewater came out to be possible, and the rate of organic carbon consumption decreased about 10 percent. The phosphorus removed was released in the form of ortho-p in the aerobic fixed biofilm reactor, it was caused by autooxidation. The synthesis and release of phosphorus were related to the ORP and the boundary value for the phase change was about 170mV. In the synthesis phase, the phosphorus removal rate per COD removed was 0.023mgP$_{syn}$/mgCOD$_{rem}$. The phosphorus contents of the microorganism were 4.3-6.0% on a dry weight basis.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.300-307
• /
• 2006

The combined SHARON (Single reactor system for High ammonium Removal Over Nitrite)-ANAMMOX (Anaerobic ammonium oxidation) reactor were operated in mesophilic condition ($35^{\circ}C$). In this study, microbial granulation and characteristics of SHARON and ANAMMOX sludges were investigated using settling test, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). In SHARON reactor, Aerobic granulation with diameter of 1.5~2.5 mm was accomplished but aerobic granulation was weaker than anaerobic granular sludge. Initial seed sludge of ANAMMOX reactor was used as attached media for biofilm growth. ANAMMOX sludge was more compact and rounder rather than seed sludge. Though ANAMMOX sludge has high activity, it has lower settling ability than the seed granule. The color of ANAMMOX sludge was changed from dark to redish brown granular with diameter of 1~2 mm. In FISH of ANAMMOX sludge, high fraction of Candidatus B. stuttgartiensis which paid great role of nitrogen conversion was detected. Also, FISH results reveals that ANAMMOX bacteria inhabit at inner parts near surface, having advantages in utilization of substrates and protection from oxygen inhibition.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.273-281
• /
• 2017

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of stream purification equipment system combined MBP (Micro Bubble Process) and AGBP (Aerobic Granular Biofilm Process). Based on results, the optimal HRT (Hydraulic Retention Time) of MBP and AGBP set as 0.72 and 2.4 h, respectively. In the results of continuous operation on combined MBP and AGBP, it is possible to achieve a BOD, TSS and T-P removal efficiency of 85, 90 and 94%, respectively. It also confirmed that the water quality of the stream can be purified with increasing circulation flow through water simulation evaluation applied the QUAL-NIER model. Consequently this purification system can resolve the stream purification and dry stream problem.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2007

The bacterial compositions between the dental unit water system and human saliva were characterized and compared by direct sequence analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries. Based on the species richness estimation, bacterial diversity in the dental unit water system (DUW) was more diverse than that of the human saliva (HS). The Chaol estimates of species richness in HS and DUW samples were 12.0 and 72.4, respectively. The total numbers of OTUs observed in the combined libraries accounted for 83% (HS) and 59% (DUW) of the Chaol diversity estimate as defined at the 80% similarity threshold. Based on the sequence analysis, the phylum Proteobacteria was the major group in both clone libraries at phylum level. DUW clone library contained 80.0% Proteobacteria, 8.0% Bacteroides, 4.0% Nitrospira, 4.0% Firmicutes, 2.0% Planctomycetes and 2.0% Acidobacteria. On the other hand, human saliva (HS) clone library contained 55.5% Proteobacteria, 36.1% Firmicutes and 8.4% Bacteroides. The majority of bacteria identified belonged to phylum Proteobacteria in both samples. In dental unit water system (DUW), Alphaproteobacteria was detected as the major group. There was no evidence of the bacterial contamination due to a dental treatment. Most sequences were related to microorganisms derived from biofilm in oligotrophic environments.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.415-422
• /
• 1994

The biodegradation of aromatic compounds by a mixed culture GE1 was investigated in an artificial wastewater containing 250 mg/l of benzene, toluene, and phenol in semicontinuous culture. In the control group (no strains) with an aeration rate of 75 ml/l/min, 37% of phenol and 83% of benzene were volatilized during early 24 hrs and toluene was disappeared from the medium within 12 hrs. The biodegradation of benzene and toluene was effective in SB (strains + biofilm) treatment, while phenol was degraded more quickly in SG (strains + glucose) treatment including glucose as an additional carbon source. aromatic compounds added at a concentration of 250 mg/l were completely removed by SG treatment after 16 hrs or 32 hrs, respectively. The removal rate of COD was high as much as 80 mg/l/h in SG treatment during early period, but COD revealed a stable value of 116~140 mg/l after 12 hrs caused by increased biomass. Therefore, it is concluded that the mixed GE1 could be used for the wastewater treatment including aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and phenol.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.234-238
• /
• 2003

Biofilm process is preferred to activated sludge process in small domestic wastewater treatment plant because of its simplicity in operation and maintenance. Column reactor filled with waste ceramics and with waste plastics was used to remove pollutants in restaurant wastewater. COD removal at 18 hours of hydraulic retention time (HRT) gave 93.7%, COD removal during the experimental period, where maximum COD removal was observed. Under same condition, average removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were 82.3% and 25.9%, respectively Organic and nitrogen were efficiently removed with the HRT of 18 hours or more.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.153-163
• /
• 2010

Periodontal disease, as a polymicrobial disease, is globally endemic as well as being a global epidemic. It is the leading cause for tooth loss in the adult population and has been positively related to life-threatening systemic diseases such as atherosclerosis and diabetes. As a result, it is clear that more sophisticated therapeutic modalities need to be developed, which may include vaccines. Up to now, however, no periodontal vaccine trial has been successful in satisfying all the requirements; to prevent the colonization of a multiple pathogenic biofilm in the subgingival area, to elicit a high level of effector molecules such as immunoglobulin sufficient to opsonize and phagocytose the invading organisms, to suppress the induced alveolar bone loss, or to stimulate helper T-cell polarization that exerts cytokine functions optimal for protection against bacteria and tissue destruction. This article reviews all the vaccine trials so as to construct a more sophisticated strategy which may be relevant in the future. As an innovative strategy to circumvent these barriers, vaccine trials to stimulate antigen-specific T-cells polarized toward helper T-cells with a regulatory phenotype (Tregs, $CD_{4+}$, $CD_{25+}$, $FoxP_{3+}$) have also been introduced. Targeting not only a single pathogen, but polymicrobial organisms, and targeting not only periodontal disease, but also periodontal disease-triggered systemic disease could be a feasible goal.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.147-153
• /
• 2018

Copper is used in various applications in environments favoring and enabling formation of biofilms by naturally occurring microbes. Copper is also the chosen corrosion barrier for nuclear waste in Finland. The copper canisters should have lifetimes of 100,000 years. Copper is commonly considered to be resistant to corrosion in oxygen-free water. This is an important argument for using copper as a corrosion protection in the planned canisters for spent nuclear-fuel encapsulation. However, microbial biofilm formation on metal surfaces can increase corrosion in various conditions and provide conditions where corrosion would not otherwise occur. Microbes can alter pH and redox potential, excrete corrosion-inducing metabolites, directly or indirectly reduce or oxidize the corrosion products, and form biofilms that create corrosive microenvironments. Microbial metabolites are known to initiate, facilitate, or accelerate general or localized corrosion, galvanic corrosion, and intergranular corrosion, as well as enable stress-corrosion cracking. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are present in the repository environment. Sulfide is known to be a corrosive agent for copper. Here we show results from corrosion of copper in anoxic simulated ground water in the presence of SRB enriched from the planned disposal site.