• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.445-455
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• 2009

Microbiological sulfate reduction is the transformation of sulfate to sulfide catalyzed by the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria using sulfate as an electron acceptor. Low solubility of metal sulfides leads to precipitation of the sulfides in solution. The effects of microbiological sulfate reduction on in-situ precipitation of arsenic and copper were investigated for the heavy metal-contaminated soil around the Songcheon Au-Ag mine site. Total concentrations of As, Cu, and Pb were 1,311 mg/kg, 146 mg/kg, and 294 mg/kg, respectively, after aqua regia digestion. In batch-type experiments, indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria rapidly decreased sulfate concentration and redox potential and led to substantial removal of dissolved As and Cu from solution. Optimal concentrations of carbon source and sulfate for effective microbial sulfate reduction were 0.2~0.5% (w/v) and 100~200 mg/L, respectively. More than 98% of injected As and Cu were removed in the effluents from both microbial and chemical columns designed for metal sulfides to be precipitated. However, after the injection of oxygen-rich solution, the microbial column showed the enhanced long-term stability of in-situ precipitated metals when compared with the chemical column which showed immediate increase in dissolved As and Cu due to oxidative dissolution of the sulfides. Black precipitates formed in the microbial column during the experiments and were identified as iron sulfide and copper sulfide. Arsenic was observed to be adsorbed on surface of iron sulfide precipitate.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.170-183
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate a technology to reduce hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in sewage odor using microbial deodorant. Methods: After injecting five commercially available microbial deodorants into fresh sewage, the concentration of hydrogen sulfide over time was measured using the headspace method. H₂S concentration in odor samples was measured using gas chromatograph/FPD. Calculated odor concentration and calculated odor intensity by H₂S concentration remaining after treatment with microbial deodorant were evaluated theoretically. Results: The rate of H₂S abatement by microbial deodorant differed depending on the experimental conditions and the type of deodorant, but it was found to range from 63 to 82%. Especially, two deodorants showed high H₂S reduction rates of over 80% on average. However, based on the best deodorant, the theoretically calculated odor concentration by H₂S after microbial deodorant treatment was 4,400 OU_k, and the theoretical odor intensity was also rated at 4 degrees or higher. Conclusions: In conclusion, microbial deodorant is considered to have a relatively high effect on reducing H₂S in sewage odor. However, even after treatment with microbial deodorant, calculated odor concentration and calculated odor intensity were relatively high. This is thought to be caused by other odorous substances besides H₂S.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.583-590
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• 2006

In this study, an organic solvent tolerant bacterial strain was isolated. This strain was identified as Pseudomonas sp. strain S5, and was shown to degrade BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-Benzene, and Xylene). Strain S5 generates an organic solvent-tolerant lipase in the late logarithmic phase of growth. Maximum lipase production was exhibited when peptone was utilized as the sole nitrogen source. Addition of any of the selected carbon sources to the medium resulted in a significant reduction of enzyme production. Lower lipase generation was noted when an inorganic nitrogen source was used as the sole nitrogen source. This bacterium hydrolyzed all tested triglycerides and the highest levels of pro-duction were observed when olive oil was used as a natural triglyceride. Basal medium containing Tween 60 enhanced lipase production to the most significant degree. The absence of magnesium ions ($Mg^{2+}$) in the basal medium was also shown to stimulate lipase production. Meanwhile, an alkaline earth metal ion, $Na^+$, was found to stimulate the production of S5 lipase.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 1995

The Gelatinases (typeIV collagenases) are metalloproteinases that may play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Progelatinase A was purified from a conditioned medium of T98G human glioblastoma cells. TIMP-2 complexed progelatinase A and free progelatinase A were separated by heparin affinity HPLC. The final product was homogeneous on SDS-PAGE, with a molecular weight of 64,000 daltons without reduction. TIMP-2 and free progelatinase A were separated from TIMP-2 complexed progelatinase A by reverse-phase HPLC in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid. TIMP-2 complexed progelatinase A was resistant to activation by p-aminophenyl mercuric acetate (APMA), and showed less than 20% of the activity of the TIMP-2 free active enzyme. TIMP-2 free progelatinase A was easily activated to the mature form with a molecular weight of 57,000 daltons by APMA and showed high activity compared to the TIMP-2 complexed enzyme.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1187-1193
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• 2012

The aim of this research is to enhance the bottom environment of Geoje fish farm that has been severely contaminated. Treatment of microbial agent and/or calcium oxide significantly changed that environment: in ignition loss, either treatment (25% or 21%) showed better than mixed treatment (13.2%). In COD, the oxygen releasing agent or mixed treatment reduced the index by more than 20%. In T-P and T-N, the effects of $CaO_2$ on them were overwhelming (50% or more) meanwhile that of the microbial agent on them was less than 20%. Also, $CaO_2$ influenced on the microbial flora: Desulfobvibrio thermophilus, a sulfate reducing bacterium decreased in number, considering the increase of pH and rise of redox potential. In contrast, Pseudomonas sp., Pseudoalteromonas sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa were remarkably dominant over other species with mixed treatment as a PCA analysis confirmed it.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.190.2-191
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• 2001

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.351-362
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• 1998

Microbial growth efficiency in the rumen was studied in sheep given hourly, 31.25 g oaten chaff with either 0.31 and 0.88 g urea or 1.88 and 5.63 g casein (exp. 1) and 33.33 g oaten chaff with 1.04 casein or 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 g urea or the mixture of the casein and urea (exp. 2). Concentrations of ruminal fluid ammonia increased with increasing nitrogenous supplements. Organic matter digestibility in sacco in the rumen was not different irrespective of N sources. Isoacids and valeric acid increased with increasing ingested casein but decreased with increasing urea intake. Peptide and amino acid pools in ruminal fluid increased with increasing ammonia concentrations (exp. 2) suggesting that proteolytic activity and transportation of peptides and amino acids across microbial membrane of rumen microbes may be regulated by the metabolite mechanism (intracellular amino acids and $NH_4{^+}$, respectively). Densities of total viable and cellulolytic bacteria in ruminal fluid increased with increasing ammonia levels but that of small Entodinia decreased. The density of fungal sporangia growth on oat leaf blades decreased with increasing ammonia concentrations but appeared to remain constant in the presence of casein. Efficiency of net microbial cell synthesis was 15-28% higher when ammonia concentrations increased from 100 to above 200 mg N/l regardless of N sources. In conclusion, supplementation of preformed protein had no effect on rumen digestion and microbial growth efficiency. This could not be accounted for its effect on ruminal fluid ammonia. Increased microbial growth efficiency with increasing ammonia levels may be due to a reduction in the turnover of microbial cells within the rumen.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2008

This study was performed to investigate the anti-microbial activity of extract from Korean fermented soybean paste (doen-jang) against 16 types of oral microbes, and to determine the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of the extract for three major microbes causing human oral diseases (Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Candida albicans). The extract was prepared using ethyl acetate and it was treated with the oral microbes at a concentration of 5.00 mg/ml (0.5%). The anti-microbial activity and MIC were measured using broth dilution method. Significant reduction of microbial activities of 16 types of oral microbes occurred when the soybean paste extract was added to the broth compared to the control (p<0.01), and striking inhibition (more than 99%) was observed in ten types. S. mutans, which causes dental caries, showed MIC at a concentration of 1.25 mg/ml for the extract. P. gingivalis, which causes adult periodontal disease, showed MIC at a concentration of 2.50 mg/ml for the extract. C. albicans, which causes denture stomatitis and angular stomatitis, showed MIC at a concentration of 20 mg/ml for the extract. These results indicate that ethyl acetate extract of doen-jang showed strong anti-microbial effect against 16 types of oral microbes, and the anti-microbial effect of the extract against oral microbes was stronger against bacteria than against fungi. The anti-microbial effect might be possibly enhanced by the fermentation of soybeans.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.800-806
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• 2015

We investigated the effects of a pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on microbial inactivation and the physical properties of low-fat milk. Milk inoculated with Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or Lactobacillus brevis was supplied to a pilot-scale PEF treatment system at a flow rate of 30 L/h. Pulses with an electric field strength of 10 kV/cm and a pulse width of 30 µs were applied to the milk with total pulse energies of 50-250 kJ/L achieved by varying the pulse frequency. The inactivation curves of the test microorganisms were biphasic with an initial lag phase (or shoulder) followed by a phase of rapid inactivation. PEF treatments with a total pulse energy of 200 kJ/L resulted in a 4.5-log reduction in E. coli, a 4.4-log reduction in L. brevis, and a 6.0-log reduction in S. cerevisiae. Total pulse energies of 200 and 250 kJ/L resulted in greater than 5-log reductions in microbial counts in stored PEF-treated milk, and the growth of surviving microorganisms was slow during storage for 15 d at 4℃. PEF treatment did not change milk physical properties such as pH, color, or particle-size distribution (p<0.05). These results indicate that a relatively low electric-field strength of 10 kV/cm can be used to pasteurize low-fat milk.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum FH185 on the reduction of adipocyte size and gut microbial changes in mice with diet-induced obesity. The strain was found to have a lipase inhibitory activity of 70.09±2.04% and inhibited adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells (18.63±0.98%) at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. To examine the effect of the strain supplementation on gut microbial changes in mice with diet-induced obesity, male C57BL/6J mice were fed on four different diets (i.e., A, normal diet (ND); B, high-fat diet (HFD); C, HFD with ABT-3 (10⁹ CFU/day); and D, HFD with L. plantarum FH185 (10⁹ CFU/day)) for 6 wk. According to the results of fecal pyrosequencing, the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in groups C and D was lower than in the control groups at the phylum level. At the family level, Lactobacillaceae in groups C and D was observed to dominate, while Lachnospiraceae in groups A and B was observed to dominate. At the genus level, Lactobacillus in groups C and D was comparatively higher than in groups A and B. To examine the effects of strain supplementation on the reduction of adipocyte size, the left and right epididymal fat pads were quickly isolated after the animals were sacrificed, and the adipocyte sizes were measured. In groups A, C and D, the percentage of 2,000 m² of adipocyte was higher than in the other size of adipocyte, while the percentage of over 5,000 m² of adipocyte was highest in group B. The mean adipocyte size of group D was significantly larger than that of group A, but smaller than that of group B.