• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.839-846
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• 2016

Since oil leakage is one of the most common nonpoint pollution sources that contaminate soil in Korea, the capacity of soil microbial community for degrading petroleum hydrocarbons should be considered to assess the functional value of soil resource. However, conventional methods (e.g., microcosm experiments) to assess the remediation capacity of soil microbial community are costly and time-consuming to cover large area. The present study suggests a new approach to assess the toluene remediation capacity of soil microbial community using a microbial diversity index, which is a simpler detection method than measuring degradation rate. The results showed that Shannon index of microbial community were correlated with specific degradation rate ($V_{max}$), a degradation factor. Subsequently, a correlation equation was generated and applied to Michaelis-Menten kinetics. These results will be useful to conveniently assess the remediation capacity of soil microbial community and can be widely applied to diverse engineering fields including environment-friendly construction engineering fields.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 1997

Aiming at the treatment of large volumes of gas with a low concentration of poorly water soluble VOC(Volatile Organic Compound), a new system is proposed: the combination absorption tower/bioreactor. In the scrubber part of the bioscrubbing system, the contaminating compounds are absorbed in a aqueous phase. The contaminated scrubbing liquid is transported to the bioreactor, where the compounds are biodegraded by aerobic microorganisms (mainly to carbon dioxide, water, and biomass). In this study, separation of a volatile organic compound(VOC) out of a waste gas stream has been carried out using a re-cyclable high boiling point extrant(HBE). The liquid stream containing a high boiling point entrant(HBE) scrubs the gas stream in a direct gas-liquid countercurrent contacting operation in a packed tower for the removal of said component from the gaseous stream. A packed-bed column using Pall Ring was set up in order to simulate practical conditions for the scrubbing tower. The liquid stream transported to the bioreactor is recovered and recycled to the scrubber. The model gas, which contained 400 mg/$\textrm{m}^3$ of toluene, at a rate of 100 L/min, flowed into the packed column where the scrubbing liquid trickled over the packing in countercurrent to the rising gas at 10~15L/min. The bioscrubber designed for large volume air streams containing VOCs showed removal efficiency up to 80% in an optimum operating conditions during the tests fer removing toluene from an air stream by scrubbing the air stream with HBE.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.151-162
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• 1998

The compressibility and the permeability of organic soil are so high that they cause many engineering problems when constructing a structure on the soil. If the organic content of the soil could be reduced by any applicable engineering technique, the engineering properties of the soils can be improved to some extent. The purpose of this study would thus be focused on how to decrease the amount of organic matters by applying aerobic biodegradation for eliminating post-construction settlement problems. To enhance the aerobic decomposition, oxygen was supplied to the soil samples prepared by the mixture of kaolinite and sawdust as organic matter. The dissolved oxygen and the organic content of the soil samples were measured, in accordance with the passage of time through the bests. As oxygen suppliers, HaOa liquid and pure oxygen gas were compared to meet the requirement of the test purposes. Newly manufactured oedometer with the diameter of 130 mm and the height of 300 mm was used for 100 days to perform the compressibility tests for the soils. Based on the results of this experiment, the oxygen gas-treated samples with nutrient settled 30% more than the samples untreated. This confirmed the efficiency of the aerobic biodegradation. $NaNO_3$ added into the soils as nutrients was proved more effective than $K_2HP0_4$. To confirm the activity of micro-organisms, sodium azide was also added to the soils.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.633-643
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• 2015

In this study, we develop a highly efficient conical-air diffuser that generates fine bubble. By inserting a sufficient number of aerotropic microorganisms with dissolved oxygen from an air diffuser and minimizing the air-channel blockages within the air diffuser, we expect to improve the efficiency and durability of the decomposition process for organic waste. To upgrade the conventional air diffuser, we perform experiments and numerical analysis to develop a conical-type that generates fine bubble, and which is free from nozzle blockage. We complement the air-diffuser design by numerically analyzing the internal air-flow pattern within the diffuser. Then, by applying the diffuser to a mockup bioreactor, we experimentally and numerically study the bubble behavior observed in the diffuser and the 2-phase fluid flow in the bioreactor. The results obtained include statistics of the cord length and increased velocity, and we investigate the mechanisms of the fluid-flow characteristics including bubble clouds. Throughout the study, we systemize the design procedures for the design of efficient air diffusers, and we visualize the fluid-flow patterns caused by bubble generation within the mockup bioreactor. These results will provide a meaningful basis for further study as well as the detection of oxygen transfer and fluid-flow characteristics in real-scale bio-reactors using sets of air diffusers.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.160-167
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• 2000

This study was performed to evaluate efficiency of soil microbial inoculator for active composting of food waste. In addition the number of microorganisms in roil microbial inoculator and the effect of seeding in the process of composting were investigated. food waste samples collected from a refectory were analyzed for physical-chemical properties. The samples were adjusted to moisture content of 65% by saw dust and seeded with soil microbial inoculator of 10% by the weight in case of reactor B. The number of microorganisms, aerobic bacteria, actinomyces, yeast, and fungi in soil microbial inoculator were over $2.98{\times}10^9/g$, $3.93{\times}10^7/g$, $1.21{\times} 10^5/g$, and $5.79{\times}10^7/g$, respectively. During the process of composting, the highest temperatures were $63.4^{\circ}C$ at reactor A(unseeded control)after 10 days and $66.8^{\circ}C$ at reactor B(seeded compost) after 4 days. The pH values of reactor A and B rapidly increased after 3 days and after first few days during composting period, respectively. The highest $CO_2$ concentrations were 6.1%(after 10 days) and 10.8%(afer 4 days) in reactor A and B, respectively. The degradation rates of organic matter(rd) between reactor A and B increased by 17.1% and 64.5%, respectively Consequently, the effects of Inoculation on comporting parameter such as temperature increasing, pH change, chemical properties, and the degradation rates of organic matter(rd) were higher in seeded compost than in unseeded control.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.901-906
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• 1997

In order to reproduce and improve quality of traditional kochujang, various raw materials were added to prepare kochujang by replacing part of the glutinous rice. Chemical composition, microbial characteristics and enzyme activities were investigated during fermentation. Crude protein and salt contents of kochujang did not change significantly during fermentation, but moisture contents increased linearly. The pH and titratable acidity of kochujang changed little in garlic added group. The viable cell counts of aerobic bacteria and yeasts in the kochujang increased until 60 days of fermentation and then decreased slowly except for the garlic added group in which they increased during the last period of fermentation. Aerobic bacterial count did not show any remarkable differences among the samples and slowly decreased after 60 days of fermentation. The activities of liquefying and saccharifying amylases decreased until 45 days, but increased at 60th day. Acidic protease activities of each group were strong during the initial period, but neutral protease showed the highest activity from the 30 to 45 days of fermentation. Protease activities increased by addition of soy sauce, Chinese matrimony vine and purple sweet potato.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2000

Simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) and degradation of phenol was observed in batch and bench-scale continuous stirred tank reactors using Rhodococcus sp. CP01 isolated from leachate. The strain CP01, which was capable of utilizing phenol as a sole source of carbon and energy, completely reduced added hexavalent chromium (0.25 mM) to its trivalent form during 60 hr batch assay under optimal conditions (pH 7.0 and 1,000 mg/L of phenol concentration). The rates of Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation were estimated as 4.17 $\mu$M Cr(VI) and 38.4 mg phenol.$L^{-1}{\cdot}hr^{-1}$, respectively. The continuous culture experiment was conducted for 46 days using synthetic feed containing different levels of chromate (0.0625 to 0.25 mM) and phenol(1,000 to 4,000 mg/L). With a hydraulic retention time of 100 hr, Cr(VI) reduction efficiency was mostly 100% for influent Cr(VI) and phenol concentrations of 0.125 mM and 3,000 mg/L, respectively. During quasi-steady-state operation, specific rate of Cr(VI) reduction was calculated as 0.34 mg Cr(VI).g $protein^{-1}{\cdot}hr^{-1}$ which was comparable to reported values obtained by using glucose as growth substrate. The results suggest the potential application of biological treatment for detoxification of wastewater contaminated simultaneously with Cr(VI) and pheonol.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.326-332
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• 2008

Various bacteria were isolated from Korean soil samples based on their capability inhibiting the growth of MRSA strains. Among them, strain YK5 with the highest activity was a Gram positive sporulative bacillus with motility. It did not produce indole and no acid was formed from mannitol by the bacterium. The 16S rRNA sequence of the strain showed $95{\sim}98%$ homology with those of Paenibacillus spp.. The bacterial isolate shared the highest homology with that of P. elgii (98%), but was named as Paenibacillus incheonensis YK5 due to differences in physiological properties. Butanol extract of the P. incheonensis YK5 culture grown in SST medium at $37^{\circ}C$ for 96 hr showed a broad antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive (MRSA and Streptococcus pneumoniae) and negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) pathogenic bacteria and fungi (Cryptococcus neoformans and Trichophyton). The antimicrobial activity in the crude extract was stable in a broad range of temperature and pH, $20{\sim}100^{\circ}C$ and $3.0{\sim}6.0$, respectively. Therefore, the antimicrobial activity of P. incheonesis YK5 had potential as a novel antibiotics for pathogens including MRSA.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.157-161
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• 1996

Physicochemical and microbial characteristics of traditional kochujang (fermented hot pepper-soybean paste) collected from 55 households at different regions were investigated. The traditional kochujang contained $46.71{\pm}5.98%$ moisture, $46.87{\pm}8.83%$ total sugar, $11.77{\pm}3.90%$ crude protein, $15.01{\pm}6.48%$ salt, $27.52{\pm}7.32%$ reducing sugar, $0.26{\pm}0.15%$ amino nitrogen and $2.69{\pm}2.35%$ ethanol. The pH and titrable acidity were $4.60{\pm}0.23$ and $27.26{\pm}10.98\;ml/10\;g$, respectively. The average water activity of traditional kochujang were $0.79{\pm}0.04$. The Hunter L, a, and b values of kochujang were $16.03{\pm}2.89$, $20.42{\pm}4.37$, and $9.71{\pm}1.92$, respectively. The viable cell counts of aerobic, anaerobic bacteria and yeasts in the traditional kochujang were $1.02{\times}10^8{\pm}1.29{\times}10^8\;CFU/g$, $2.24{\times}10^7{\pm}3.90{\times}10^7\;CFU/g$ and $5.90{\times}10^5{\pm}2.25{\times}10^6\;CFU/g$, respectively. The kochujang collected from various regions showed quite strong liquefying and saccharogenic amylase and protease at different level by samples.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.1126-1135
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• 2023

Nine microbial strains were isolated from the byproduct of ginseng processing and field of ginseng cultivation. Two strains among them were confirmed. Phylogenetic analysis of these 𝛽-Glucosidase strains confirmed that strain GYP-1 belongs to the Rhodotorula and strain GYP-3-3 belong to genus Brachybacterium. Rhodotorula sp. GYP-1 was finally selected due to its high biomass production. The 𝛽-Glucosidase activity of Rhodotorula sp. GPY-1 was assessed at 30 ℃, and Higher than 70% of the enzyme activity was maintained at the temperature range of 20-40℃. Although the optimum pH for the highest enzyme activity was pH 5.0, the enzyme was stable throughout the pH range of 5.0-8.0. In addition, Rhodotorula sp. demonstrated antifungal activity against the ginseng root rot disease caused by Botrytis.