• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.909-915
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• 2002

The biodegradation of BTEX components (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, m-xylene, and p-xylene) individually and in mixtures was investigated using the o-xylene-degrading thermo-tolerant bacterium Ralsronia sp. strain PHS1 , which utilizes benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, or o-xylene as its sole carbon source. The results showed that as a single substrate for growth, benzene was superior to both toluene and ethylbenzene. While growth inhibition was severe at higher o-xylene concentrations, no inhibition was observed (up to 100 mg $l^-1$) with ethylbenzene. In mixtures of BTEX compounds, the PHS1 culture was shown to degrade all six BTEX components and the degradation rates were in the order of benzene, toluene, o-xylene, ethylbenzene, and m- and p-xylene. m-Xylene and p-xylene were found to be co-metabolized by this microorganism in the presence of the growth-supporting BTEX compounds. In binary mixtures containing the growth substrates (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene. and o-xylene), PHS1 degraded each BTEX compound faster when it was alone than when it was a component of a BTEX mixture, although the degree of inhibition varied according to the substrates in the mixtures. p-Xylene was shown to be the most potent inhibitor of BTEX biodegradation in binary mixtures. On the other hand, the degradation rates of the non-growth substrates (m-xylene and p-xylene) were significantly enhanced by the addition of growth substrates. The substrate utilization patterns between PHS1 and other microorganisms were also examined.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.375-383
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• 2000

A mixed culture isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil was enriched on toluene as a sole carbon and energy source, and degradation characteristics of BTEX(Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes) was observed. In the single-substrate experiments, all the BTEX compounds were degraded, and it was degraded as following orders; toluene, benzene, ethylbenzene, and p-xylene. In the degradation experiments of BTEX mixtures, the degradation rate was decreased compared to that in the single substrate experiment and ethylbenzene was degraded faster than benzene. In the experiments of binary-mixtures, various substrate interactions such as inhibition, stimulation, and non-interaction were observed, and ethylbenzene was shown to be most potent inhibitor of BTEX degradation. In the degradation characteristic studies of xylene isomers, m-xylene and p-xylene were degraded as carbon sources, and it was stimulated in the presence of either benzene or toluene. However, degradation of o-xylene was enhanced only in the presence of benzene.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.163-166
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to evaluate substrate interactions of BTEX for multicomponent. Although BTEX compounds have similar chemical structures, biodegradation of individual BTEX is different with the present of certain BTEX compounds. The biodegradation rate is order to Benzene=Toluene>Ethylbenzene> m, p-Xylene>o-Xylene. Xylenes is stimulated when benzene or toluene is present. Especially o-xylene Inhibit other BTEX compounds.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.351-358
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• 2005

The research in this paper was carried out to examine the BTEX(Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene) concentrations in Seongseo Industrial Complex. These compounds are the major constituents, more than $60\%$ in composition of total VOCs, mainly charging in ambient air. BTEX samples were collected from the 38 sites, 10 for the source points and 18 for the boundary sites, and were analyzed by canister-GC/MS. The mean concentrations of BTEX were 33 ppbv for benzene, 214 ppbv for toluene, 89 ppbv for ethyl benzene, 77 ppbv for xylene. Among the BTEX, toluene had the highest concentration in the source points and boundary sites. In the source points, BTEX concentration of incineration facility for hazardous wastewater appeared highly in the range of 220­350 ppbv. BTEX concentrations in source boundary sites appeared in the order of toluene>ethylbenzene>xylene>benzene. As a result of the correlation analysis, the concentration of the source points was related to those of the boundary sites. Correlation of ethylbenzene and xylene was presented to 0.7991(P<0.0 1),\;0.6329(P<0.05) as the correlation coefficient, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.389-393
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the biodegradation characteristics of the xylene by BTEX-degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas putida BJ10, isolated from oil-contaminated soil and bio-degradation pathway of the xylene. The removal efficiencies of o, m, p-xylene in mineral salts medium (MSM) by P. putida BJ10 were 94, 90 and 98%, respectively for 24 hours. It shows clear difference compared with the control groups which were below 3%. The removal efficiencies of BTEX by P. putida BJ10 in gasoline-contaminated soil were 66% for 9 days. They were clearly distinguished from the control groups (control and sterilized soil) which were 32 and 8%. 3-methylcatechol and o-toluic acid were detected after 6 and 24 hours during the o-xylene biodegradation pathway. Therefore, we confirmed o-toluic acid as the final metabolite. And intermediate-products were somewhat different with previously published studies of the transformation pathway from o-xylene to 3-methylcatechol.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.185-191
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• 2018

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) were well known as ozone precursors from photochemical reactions and contribute to the formation of photochemical smog which pose health hazards. Also, some of these compounds directly affect the human health due to their toxicity such as benzene. In this study, BTEX ratios and correlation of $C_2$-benzenes (xylenes, ethylbenzene) in vehicle exhaust from recreational vehicle (RV) and multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) were characterized using a chassis dynamometer. VOCs were collected by tedlar bag and a GC/MS system was used for their quantification. Among all of the BTEX, toluene has the highest concentration(more than 30% in composition of BTEX). The average ratio of toluene to benzene emissions (T/B ratio=2.2) was found in vehicle exhaust. The average m,p-xylene/ethylbenzene and m,p-xylene/o-xylene ratios were 1.0 and 3.0 respectively. As a result, it showed a good correlation between the $C_2$-benzenes ($R^2=0.98{\sim}0.99$). In the future, it can be used as a marker for effect evaluation to atmospheric environment by vehicle exhaust.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.386-389
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• 2003

Organic solvent tolerance bacteria, Pseudomonas savastanoi BCNU 106 could utilize a high contentration of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene isomers (BTEX) as a sole carbon source. It was founded that strain BCNU 106 transformed o-xylene to 2-methylbenzyl alcohol, 2-methylbenzoic acid through direct oxygenation of methyl residue on GC-MS analysis.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.88-94
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• 2016

The simultaneous biodegradation between MTBE (Gasoline additives) and BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-benzene, o-Xylene, m-Xylene, p-Xylene) was achieved within a competitive inter-relationship, with not only electron accepters such as nitrate, sulfate, and iron(III) without oxygen, but also with electron donors such as MTBE and BTEX. Preexisting indigenous microorganisms from a domestic sample of gasoline contaminated soil was used for a lab-scale batch test. The result of the test showed that the biodegradation rate of MTBE decreased when there was co-existing MTBE and BTEX, compared to having just MTBE present. The growth of indigenous microorganisms was not affected in the case of the MTBE treatment, whereas the growth of the microorganisms was decreased in combined MTBE and BTEX sample. This may indicate that an inhibitor related to biodegradation when BTEX and MTBE are mixed will be found. This inhibitor may be found to retard the anaerobic conditions needed for efficient breakdown of these complex carbon chain molecules in-situ. Moreover, it is also possible that an unknown competitive reaction is being imposed on the interactions between MTBE and BTEX dependent on conditions, ratios of mixture, etc.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.27-31
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• 2012

This study was designed to examine the feasibility of functionalized mesoporous silica as the adsorbent for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers (BTEX) in groundwater. p-Xylene was used as the model compound of BTEX. A series of functionalized mesoporous silica with MCM-41 type of structure was synthesized using a co-condensation method. Monoamine, triamine, nitrile, phenyl, and octyl groups were functionalized to the mesoporous silica structure. Adsorption sites for p-Xylene in a functionalized mesoporous silica were Si-O-Si covalent bond, the surfactant, and the functional group. Octyl-functionalized mesoporous silica with stearyltrimethylammonium chloride as a surfactant showed the highest adsorption ability. The maximum xylene adsorption capacity of the octyl-functionalized mesoporous silica with stearyltrimethylammonium chloride based on Langmuir model was 4.17 mmol/g on $20^{\circ}C$, which was 2.9 times higher than that of MCM-41.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.491-502
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• 2003

In the present work, the distribution characteristics of ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were investigated at high temporal resolution from a monitoring station located in a mid-eastern area of Seoul. A total number of 587 samples were collected during December 2002 to January 2003. The measurements of VOC were conducted by a combination of on-line air sampling and thermal desorption unit (TDU) coupled with capillary GC/FID analysis. A total of five aromatic compounds (BTEX: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m, p-xylene, and o-xylene) were measured routinely at hourly intervals during the whole study period. The mean concentrations of BTEX measured in our study period were found in the order: toluene (8.99 $\pm$5.38 ppb) > benzene (0.92$\pm$0.52 ppb) > m, p-xylene (0.51$\pm$0.34 ppb) > 0- xylene (0.48$\pm$0.35 ppb) > ethyl benzene (0.43$\pm$ 0.32 ppb). The BTEX concentrations were generally higher during the daytime than the nighttime, exhibiting certain patterns on a weekly basis. Results of our analysis indicate that the unusually high concentrations of toluene, while showing good correlations with other VOCs, can be a good indicator of air pollution in the study area.