• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.80 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 1991

Seasonal patterns of decomposition and nutrient release from the needle litter were examined using litter-bags in coastal Pinus thunbergii forests in nothern Kyushu, Japan. Dry matter losses from decomposing needle litter were smillar in all standsover a experimental period. Mass loss in dry weight is lost rapidly during the first year, and thereafter the rate of loss slows. Litter lost approximately 40% of initial mass in 1 yr. The predicted decay constant, k values ranged from 0.5 to 0.6 Decomposition half-times($t_{0.50}$) ranged from 1.1 to 1.4 year. In the decomposing needle litter, the concentrations of N and P generally increased with time while the concentration of K decreased. A decrease in absolute amount was noted for K during decomposition while in an increase was found for N. The order of mobility of elements was K>P>N. Mineralization phase of N had not appeared during the experiment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1491-1499
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• 2010

Rhizosphere microorganisms possessing phytase activity are considered important for rendering phytate-phosphorus (P) available to plants. In the present study, the Citrobacter braakii phytase gene (appA) was overexpressed in rhizobacteria possessing plant growth promoting (PGP) traits, for increasing their potential as bioinoculants. AppA was cloned under the lac promoter in the broadhost-range expression vector pBBR1MCS-2. Transformation of the recombinant construct pCBappA resulted in high constitutive phytase activity in all of the eight rhizobacterial strains belonging to genera Pantoea, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas (two strains), Rhizobium (two strains), and Ensifer that were studied. Transgenic rhizobacterial strains were found to display varying levels of phytase activity, ranging from 10-folds to 538-folds higher than the corresponding control strains. The transgenic derivative of Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0, a well-characterized plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, showed the highest expression of phytase (~8 U/mg) activity in crude extracts. Although all transformants showed high phytase activity, rhizobacteria having the ability to secrete organic acid showed significantly higher release of P from Ca-phytate in buffered minimal media. AppA overexpressing rhizobacteria showed increased P content, and dry weight (shoot) or shoot/ root ratio of mung bean (Vigna radiata) plants, to different extents, when grown in semisolid agar (SSA) medium containing Na-phytate or Ca-phytate as the P sources. This is the first report of the overexpression of phytase in rhizobacterial strains and its exploitation for plant growth enhancement.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.563-570
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• 2004

Phased isolation intrachannel clarifier ditch process developed in this study is an enhanced biological nutrient removal process employing two ditches with intrachannel clarifiers. Bench-scale phased isolation ditch process was used to evaluate the system performance on municipal wastewater and detailed assessment of internal behavior in a ditch and each reactions. When the system was operated at the HRTs of 6~12hours, SRTs of 9~31 days, and cycle times of 4hours, the system showed removals of BOD, TN, and TP as high as 88~97%, 73~78%, and 65~90%, respectively. The internal behavior were well matched on each reactions such as nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus release and uptake. As the SRT became longer, TN removal increased gradually, whereas TP removal decreased contrarily. However, the system was capable of producing an effluent TP concentration 1mg/L or less even at longer SRTs except the case of solids discharge by malfunction of intra-clarifier occurred by its geometrical limit. The system performance slightly decreased by hydraulic shock loading(increasing of influent flowrate and decreasing of system HRT). However, the higher system performance could be achieved again after four cycles. Thus, the system reliability could be successfully achieved short-term hydraulic shock loading that occurred in medium- and small-sized wastewater treatment plants suffering fluctuation of influent quality and flowrate during wet season.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2005

The oxygen solubilized device(O.S.D) and standardized microorganism culture system is more efficient than physical and chemical purification techniques in closed water. This study was to determine how the O.S.D and standardized culture system is efficient in purification capacity in closed water based on the lab scale and pilot plant. In the batch test, inducing the quantitative results from pilot plant operation condition, removal efficiency of COD and TN were about 48.3% and 35% respectively, while SS and chlorophyll-a were 94.9% and 68.7%. The pilot plant results showed that suspended solid(SS) and chlorophyll-a removal efficiency were 60% and 59% respectively, due to coagulation characteristics by standardized culture. Total nitrogen(TN) and total phosphorus(TP)showed good effect for the purification of target pond water quality from field data. Additionally, released velocity was determined in control condition of $5.31mgPO{_4}^{3-}{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}day^{-1}$ and $2486.8mgCOD{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}day^{-1}$. Otherwise, phosphate and COD reflux in the aeration and microorganism condition was showed $-9.95mgPO{_4}^{3-}{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}day^{-1}$ and $-397.88mgCOD{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}day^{-1}$. This technology is the most effective not only removal of SS and chlorophyll-a but also control of phosphate and COD release which is very important phenomena in evaluating water quality in closed water like a reservoir and pond.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.93-105
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• 1999

Lately water quality of Daechong Reservoir has become more eutrophicated than ever before and there has been much concern over especially the eutrophication of the embayment near Daejon and Chongju Water Intake Tower every summer. The purpose of this study is to predict the impact of change in the pollutant loading, flowrate, nitrogen and phosphorus release from sediment, SOD(sediment oxygen demand) upon the water quality of Daechong Reservoir by WASP5/EUTR05 in order to suggest water quality management alternatives. The data of Sep. 1995 were used for the calibration of the model and those of Sep. 1997 was for verification. The result of the modeling can be summarized as follows. 1. The 50% increase(decrease) of pollutant loading has caused that of T-N concentration by 0.10-0.14 mg/l, T-P concentration by 0.003-0.005 mg/l, and CBOD concentration by 0.16-0.18 mg/l. But the ratio of DO change by the change of pollutant loading was relatively small. 2. The sensitivity test of NH4 flux to T-N and that of P04 flux to T-P shows that T-N and T-P concentration were changed more in the epilimnion segments (SEG4, SEG5, SEG6, SEG7) than the other segments. As SOD increases, DO was predicted to decrease more especially in the hypolimnion (SEG9-SEG14). 3. As flowrate increase, the concentration of T-N, T-P, and CBOD were predicted to decrease, but DO concentration increased especially in the hypolimnion segments(SEG11, SEG12, SEG13, and SEG14). As the flowrate changed from $119m^3/sec$ to $50m^3/sec$, the concentration of T-N and CBOD in the hypolimnion was predicted to decrease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.39-49
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• 2008

A study was carried out on the physico-chemical properties of soil and content of heavy metals and benzo(a)pyrene that might have been introduced through by-product fertilizers or air pollution to growing turfgrass at natural turfgrass playgrounds in elementary schools located at the western coast and eastern mountain areas in Jeollabuk-do, Korea. The soil of turfgrass playgrounds is composed of loamy sand, and the CEC and organic matters were very low. Compared to agricultural land in Korea, the concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were very low, requiring control in terms of nutrients. The contents of total and fraction heavy metals in soil were found to be background level. The reason may lie in the fact that unpolluted sand soil or sand was used to construct the foundation for the natural grass playground in the first place. However, any change in oxidation-reduction conditions or acceleration of decomposition of organic compounds may release some heavy metals from the soil and be transformed into forms that may be easily absorbed by plants or grass. It is believed that sustained monitoring and environment impact assessments should be carried out. The contents of benzo(a)pyrene in soil showed an average 0.60ng/g with a range between 0.06 to 1.47ng/g. The detected contents were found as background level.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.356-365
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• 2002

One of the most important factors that cause eutrophication is nutrient materials containing nitrogen and phosphorus which stem from excreation of terrestial sources and release from sediment. Therefore, to improve water quality, the reduction of these nutrients loads should be indispensible. At this study, the three-dimensional numerical hydrodynamic and ecosystem model, which was developed by Institute for Resources and Environment of Japan, were applied to analyze the processes affecting the eutrophication. The residual currents, which were obtained by integrating the simulated tidal currents over 1 tidal cycle, showed the presence of a typical counterclockwise eddies between Gyewha and Garyuk island. Density driven currents were generated westward at surface and eastward at the bottom in Saemankeum area where the fresh waters are flowing into, The ecosystem model was calibrated with the data surveyed in the field of the study area in annual average. The simulated results were fairly good coincided with the observed values within relative error of $30\%$. The simulations of DIN and DIP concentrations were performed using ecosystem model under the conditions of $40\~100\%$ pollution load reductions from pollution sources. In study area, concentration of DIN and DIP were reduced to $59\%$ and $28\%$ in case of the $80\%$ reduction of the input loads from fresh water respectively. But pollution loads from sediment had hardly affected DIN and DIP concentration, The $95\%$ input load abatement is necessary to meet the DIN and DIP concentration of second grade of ocean water quality criteria.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.513-519
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• 2010

A series of experiments were performed to study the influence of the following parameters on the physical traits and composition of swine manure compost: (1) addition of magnesium (Mg) at a molar ratio of 1.2 with respect to $PO_4$, and (2) reutilization of compost containing $MgNH_4PO_4{\cdot}6H_2O$ (magnesium ammonium phosphate, MAP). Three independent batch tests were conducted for replication: batch test I-control (C) and Mg added (T), batch test II-C, T and compost recycle ($T_{R1}$), and batch test III-C, T and compost recycle ($T_{R2}$). Magnesium addition and compost reutilization had no adverse effect on the degradation of organic matter. Reuse of the compost, however, had a clear effect on the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents in the final compost. Repeated compost reutilization as a bulking material was resulted in composts rich in N and P. Upon adding the Mg supplement to the composting materials, the ortho-phosphate (OP) to TP ratio decreased due to the MAP crystallization reaction. The decrease in the OP/TP ratio and the increase in the TP content of the compost indicate that water-soluble phosphate is converted into a slow-release phosphate by the formation of crystals during composting. X-ray diffraction analysis of the irregular shaped crystals in the compost indicated that they are MAP crystals and that the crystallization of MAP begins immediately after the addition of the Mg supplement. The Mg addition to composting materials and the reutilization of compost as a bulking material would be a practical means to conserve nutrient content.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.319-324
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• 2005

Estuarine sediments are frequently polluted with hydrocarbons from fuel spills and industrial wastes. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are components of these contaminants that tend to accumulate in the sediment due to their low aqueous solubility, low volatility, and high affinity for particulate matter. The toxic, recalcitrant, mutagenic, and carcinogenic nature of these compounds may require aggressive treatment to remediate polluted sites effectively. In petroleum-contaminated sediments near a petrochemical industry in Gwangyang Bay, Korea, in situ PAH concentrations ranged from 10 to 2,900 ${\mu}g/kg$ dry sediment. To enhance the biodegradation rate of PAHs under anaerobic conditions, sediment samples were amended with biostimulating agents alone or in combination: nitrogen and phosphorus in the form of slow-release fertilizer (SRF), lactate, yeast extract (YE), and Tween 80. When added to the sediment individually, all tested agents enhanced the degradation of PAHs, including naphthalene, acenaphthene, anthracene, fluorene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene, and benzo [a] pyrene. Moreover, the combination of SRF, Tween 80, and lactate increased the PAH degradation rate 1.2-8.2 times above that of untreated sediment (0.01-10 ${\mu}g$ PAH/ kg dry sediment/day). Our results indicated that in situ contaminant PAHs in anoxic sediment, including high molecular weight PAHs, were degraded biologically and that the addition of stimulators increased the biodegradation potential of the intrinsic microbial populations. Our results will contribute to the development of new strategies for in situ treatment of PAH-contaminated anoxic sediments.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.520-530
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• 2021

Multivariate statistical analysis and an environmental hydrological model were applied for investigating the causes of water pollution and providing best management practices for water quality improvement in urban and agricultural watersheds. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) for water quality time series data show that chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), suspended solids (SS) and total phosphorus (T-P) are classified as non-point source pollutants that are highly correlated with river discharge. Total nitrogen (T-N), which has no correlation with river discharge and inverse relationship with water temperature, behaves like a point source with slow and consistent release. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) shows intermediate characteristics between point and non-point source pollutants. The results of the PCA and CA for the spatial water quality data indicate that the cluster 1 of the watersheds was characterized as upstream watersheds with good water quality and high proportion of forest. The cluster 3 shows however indicates the most polluted watersheds with substantial discharge of BOD and nutrients from urban sewage, agricultural and industrial activities. The cluster 2 shows intermediate characteristics between the clusters 1 and 3. The results of hydrological simulation program-Fortran (HSPF) model simulation indicated that the seasonal patterns of BOD, T-N and T-P are affected substantially by agricultural and livestock farming activities, untreated wastewater, and environmental flow. The spatial analysis on the model results indicates that the highly-populated watersheds are the prior contributors to the water quality degradation of the river.