• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1059-1072
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• 2018

Bioremediation has been recognized as a suitable alternative to conventional methods of removing contaminants, and it uses fungi, bacteria and microalgae. In contrast to other organisms, microalgae are unique in that they have the ability to perform photosynthesis like plants and to utilize organic/inorganic carbon substrates, in a process called phytoremediation. Microalgae can populate a reaction site rapidly and enhance the bioremediation efficiency. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris was used to evaluate the removal potentials of the nutrients (N and P) and heavy metals (Cu and Zn) from swine wastewater. The optimum growth conditions for Chlorella vulgaris and the removal potentials of N, P, Cu, and Zn from synthetic wastewater using Chlorella vulgaris were investigated. Based on the results, the applicability of this microalga to on-site wastewater treatment was examined. Optimal growth conditions for Chlorella vulgaris were established to be $28^{\circ}C$, a pH of 7, and light and dark cycles of 14:10 h. As the concentrations of the nutrients were increased, the efficiencies of N and P removal efficiencies by Chlorella vulgaris were decreased in the single and binary mixed treatments of the nutrients, respectively. Further, the efficiencies of Cu and Zn removal also decreased as the heavy metals concentrations added were increased, both in the single and binary mixed treatments. In addition, the efficiency of Cu removal was higher than that of Zn removal. Our results indicate that Chlorella vulgaris could be used in treatment plants for the removal of nutrients and heavy metals from swine wastewater.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.979-985
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• 2002

The possibility of microalgal nitrogen treatment was tested in wastewaters with a low carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio. Chlorella kessleri was cultured in the two different artificial wastewaters with nitrate as a nitrogen source: one contained glucose for an organic carbon source and the other without organic carbon sources. The growth rates of the two cultures were almost identical when the aeration rate was over 1 vvm. These results suggest that microalgae could successfully remove nitrogen from wastewater, as far as the mass transfer of $CO_2$, was not limited. Nitrate was successfully reduced to below 2 mg $NO_3^-$-N/ml from the initial nitrate concentration of 140 mg $NO_3^-$-N/ml in 10 days, even in the wastewater with no organic carbon source. Similar results were obtained when ammonium was used as the sole nitrogen source instead of nitrate. Higher concentrations of nitrogen of 140, 280, 560 and 1,400 mg/ml were also tested and similar amounts of nitrogen were removed by algal cultures without showing any substrate inhibition.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 1998

As a preliminary study, effects of environmetal pollutants on propagation of freshwater microalgae, Cryptomonas ovata and feeding rate of Corbicula leana were investigated at 20${\pm}$1$^{\circ}C$, over 20 days after treatment of pollutants, glucose, complex fertilizer and NH4Cl. Number of C. ovata in control group was increased from 38${\times}$104 cell/ml to 1.910${\times}$104 cell/ml after 20 days cultivation in Sorokin-Krauss medium. Increments of cell number in experimental groups treated with glucose, complex fertilizer and NH4Cl were higher than that of control group. The higher propagation rate of C.ovata was observed when 30 mg/l of glucose treated, 120 mg/l of complex fertilizer treated, and 4 mg/l of NH4Cl treated, compared with other concentrations in each pollutant treated group. The feeding rates of large size group of C. leana which fed with a living organism, C. ovata in each experimental group were higher than small size group, and slightly reduced with the increase of pollutant concentrations. The feeding rates were not significantly different between any concentrations of the pollutant, and among experimental groups treated with glucose, complex fertilizer and NH4Cl.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 2013

The growth and removal capacity of nitrogen and phosphorus of Chlorella vulgaris were evaluated in artificial wastewater with different nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations as element growing components for microalgae growth. The nitrogen concentration was varied in 9, 15, 30 and 60 mg-N/L with fixed phosphorus concentration of 3 mg-P/L. The growth and phosphorus removal capacity of C. vulgaris were high at initial nitrogen concentration of 15 and 30 mg-N/L, and the corresponding N/P ratios calculated were 5 and 10. In the case of varying in 1.5, 3, 6 and 10 mg-P/L of phosphorus concentration with fixed nitrogen concentration of 30 mg-N/L, the growth and removal capacity of nitrogen and phosphorus were excellent with phosphorus concentration of 3 and 6 mg-P/L. The corresponding N/P ratios were shown as 10 and 5. Therefore, the appropriate N/P ratio was concluded between 5 and 10 for wastewater treatment using C. vulgaris.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.17-21
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• 2019

This article addresses issues related to environmental pollution.Particular attention is paid to the prevention of environmental pollution by livestock waste, which prompted the creation of closed ecological and biotechnical systems as environmentally closed production structures that can fit into the equilibrium system of the environment with minimal damage to it. An energy-saving and environmental protection technology for the processing and disposal of livestock waste with a maximum coefficient of energy transfer to livestock products has been developed, which consists in a combined treatment of waste in three stages, by transferring waste from one technological module to another, which makes it possible to completely utilize mineral substances in waste. The focus is on vermicultivation, microalgae cultivation and anaerobic fermentation in a bioenergy plant. To increase the productivity of growing microalgae, the authors proposed a deep type cultivator with submerged movable light sources.The technological parameters of the bioenergy installation for waste treatment are determined. An energy-saving and environmental-friendly technology has been developed for processing The main contribution of the study is the development of energy-saving and environmental technology for the processing and disposal of livestock waste with a maximum coefficient of energy transfer to livestock products.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.124-132
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• 2013

In this study, novel peptides (NIPP-1, NIPP-2) derived from Navicula incerta (microalgae) protein hydrolysate were explored for their inhibitory effects on collagen release in hepatic fibrosis with the investigation of its underlying mechanism of action. TGF-${\beta}1$ activated fibrosis in LX-2 cells was examined in the presence or absence of purified peptides NIPP-1 and NIPP-2. Besides the mechanisms of liver cell injury, protective effects of NIPP-1 and NIPP-2 were studied to show the protective mechanism against TGF-${\beta}1$ stimulated fibrogenesis. Our results showed that the core protein of NIPP-1 peptide prevented fibril formation of type I collagen, elevated the MMP level and inhibited TIMP production in a dose-dependent manner. The treatment of NIPP-1 and NIPP-2 on TGF-${\beta}1$ induced LX-2 cells alleviated hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, ${\alpha}$-SMA, TIMPs, collagen and PDGF in the NIPP-1 treated groups were significantly decreased. Therefore, it could be suggested that NIPP-1 has potential to be used in anti-fibrosis treatment.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3799-3804
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• 2014

In sea water, microalgae are exposed to a range of critical environmental conditions. Microalgae are protected from UV-A radiation due to the presence of mycosporine like amino acids(MAAs). Owing to the UV-A absorption properties of MAAs, they are used widely as a UV protecting ingredient in cosmetics. Therefore, there is a need to increase the production yield of MAAs. This study investigated the production yield of MAAs in transformed microalgae by radiofrequency(RF) exposure. Initially, the Glut-1 gene was transformed to Chlamydomonas hedleyi microalgae as a glucose transporter. The biomass was enhanced after Glut-1 gene transformation. In addition, the MAAs production yield was increased during large scale production in bioreactors due to the RF treatment. Therefore, purified extracts of MAAs can be used as a sun block material in the cosmetic industrial field.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.338-348
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• 2003

In the past decade, considerable progress has been made in developing the appropriate biotechnology for microalgal mass cultivation aimed at establishing a new agro-industry. This review points out the main biological constraints affecting algal biotechnology outdoors and the requirements for making this biotechnology economically viable. One of them is the availability of a wide variety of algal species and improved strains that favorably respond to varying environmental conditions existing outdoors. It is thus just a matter of time and effort before a new methodology like genetic engineering can and will be applied in this field as well. The study of stress physiology and adaptation of microalgae has also an important application in further development of the biotechnology for mass culturing of microalgae. In outdoor cultures, cells are exposed to severe changes in light and temperature much faster than the time scale re-quired for the cells to acclimate. A better understanding of those parameters and the ability to rapidly monitor those conditions will provide the growers with a better knowledge on how to optimize growth and productivity. Induction of accumulation of high value products is associated with stress conditions. Understanding the physiological response may help in providing a better production system for the desired product and, at a later stage, give an insight of the potential for genetic modification of desired strains. The potential use of microalgae as part of a biological system for bioremediation/detoxification and wastewater treatment is also associated with growing the cells under stress conditions. Important developments in monitoring and feedback control of the culture behavior through application of on-line chlorophyll fluorescence technique are in progress. Understanding the process associated with those unique environmental conditions may help in choosing the right culture conditions as well as selecting strains in order to improve the efficiency of the biological process.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.499-515
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate membrane fouling caused by microalgal cells in submerged membrane systems consisting of polymeric and ceramic microfiltration membranes. In this study, one polymeric (flat-sheet, pore size: $0.2{\mu}m$) and two ceramic (flat-sheet, pore size: $0.2{\mu}m$ and cylindrical, pore size: $1{\mu}m$) membranes were used. Physical cleaning was performed with water and air to determine the potential for reversible and irreversible membrane fouling. The study results showed that substantial irreversible membrane fouling (after four filtration cycles, irreversible fouling degree 27% (cleaning with water) and 38% (cleaning with air)) occurs in the polymeric membrane. In cleaning studies performed using water and air on ceramic membranes, it was observed that compressed air was more effective (recovery rate: 87-91%) for membrane cleaning. The harvesting performance of the membranes was examined through critical flux experiments. The critical flux values for polymeric membrane with a pore size of $0.20{\mu}m$ and ceramic membranes with a pore size of $0.20{\mu}m$ and $1{\mu}m$ were ${\leq}95L/m^2hour$, ${\leq}70L/m^2hour$ and ${\leq}55L/m^2hour$, respectively. It was determined that critical flux varies depending on the membrane material and the pore size. To obtain more information on membrane fouling caused by microalgal cells, the characterization of the fouled polymeric membrane was performed. This study concluded that ceramic membranes with a pore size of $0.2-1{\mu}m$ in the submerged membrane system could be efficiently used for microalgae harvesting by cleaning the membrane with compressed air at regular intervals.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.267-276
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• 2016

Microalgae are currently a very promising source of biomass and triacylglycerol (TAG) for biofuels. In a previous study, we identified Chlorella saccharophila as a suitable source of oil for biodiesel production because it showed high biomass and lipid content with an appropriate fatty acid methyl esters profile. To improve the TAG accumulation in C. saccharophila, in this study we evaluated the effect of abscisic acid (ABA) addition on cell concentration, lipid content and TAG production in this microalga. First, we evaluated the effects of four ABA concentrations (1, 4, 10, and 20 μM) added at the beginning of a single-stage cultivation strategy, and found that all concentrations tested significantly increased cell concentration and TAG content in C. saccharophila. We then evaluated the addition of 1 μM ABA during the second stage of a two-stage cultivation strategy and compared it with a nitrogen deficiency treatment (ND) and a combination of ND and ABA (ND + ABA). Although ABA alone significantly increased lipid and TAG contents compared with the control, ND showed significantly higher TAG content, and ND + ABA showed the highest TAG content. When comparing the results of both strategies, we found a superior response in terms of TAG accumulation with the addition of 1 μM ABA at the beginning of a single-stage cultivation system. This strategy is a simple and effective way to improve the TAG content in C. saccharophila and probably other microalgae as a feedstock for biodiesel production.