• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.189-193
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• 2004

Over the past several years, research efforts have been directed both at economically producing valuable substances from the wood biomass and at producing lignolytic enzymes at a lower cost. In the present study, we found that Phellinus igniarius, the basidiomycetes, secreted lignin peroxidase as a main lignolytic enzyme, which was detected maximum activity at 16th day of culture and showed 37 kDa of molecular mass in identification by activity assay and purification by anion-exchange chromatography. The Phellinus igniarius-derived lignin peroxidase hydrolyzed steam-exploded wood (Quercus mongolica) powder into small molecules showing cytotoxicity against cancer cel1s (HepG2 hepatoma, SK-N-SH neuroblastoma, B16 melanoma, MBT-2 bladder cancer). In addition, the enzyme hydrlysates of lignins (ELg) that were extracted from the steam-exploded oak showed more potent cytotoxic effects on the cancer cells than the enzyme hydrolysates of wood biomass (EWp), indicating that the cytotoxic effect of EWp may be due to the enzyme-degraded products of lignin among the lignocellulosics. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effect of ELg on Chang, normal liver cells, was much less potent than that of ELg on HepG2 and B16 cancer cells, indicating that the cytotoxic effect of ELg may be specific for cancer cells. The present results suggest that Phellinus igniarius may be a useful resource for the large-scale production of lignin peroxidase and that the lignin peroxidase may be applied for the generation of valuable biodegradation products from wood lignocellulosics for medical use.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.261-267
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• 2022

We derived a length-weight relationship for Calanus sinicus off Busan, Korea in spring to estimate the biomass of the C. sinicus population around Korean waters, and compared it with the previously derived equations. The developmental stages and prosome length of C. sinicus used in the relationship ranged from 1,376-1,540 ㎛ for copepodite 4 (CIV), 1,753-1,971 ㎛ for copepodite 5 (CV), and 2,160-2,283 ㎛ for adults (CVI). Dry weight and carbon content were measured from a total of 26 replicates. Length-weight relationships derived in the present study are as follows: log C = 3.342 log PL - 9.449, log DW = 3.394 log PL -9.219, where C is carbon content (㎍), DW is dry weight (㎍), and PL is prosome length (㎛). When comparing the present regression equation of length-weight for C. sinicus with the previous one, our regression equation showed an average carbon estimate to a given range of mean prosome length. The length-weight relationship of C. sinicus in the present study can be used to better estimate the biomass of the C. sinicus population in the coastal waters of Korea.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2020

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can absorb and retain ten to thousand times their dry mass of water because of their three-dimensional hydrophilic structures. Conventional SAPs are mainly composed of poly(acrylic acid sodium salt) derived from petrochemicals. The present work is aimed at limiting the use of the petrochemical component by replacing it with a biomass-based material. First, the core-SAP was prepared via the terpolymerization of itaconic acid, vinylsulfonic acid, and cellulose, and the optimum conditions in terms of material input ratio were determined. Following this, the core-SAP was surface-crosslinked by esterification with butane diol to improve its liquid permeability and absorbency under load (AUL). The liquid permeability was measured according to the amount of 0.9 wt.% NaCl solution passing between the swollen SAP particles under a given pressure, and the AUL was estimated from the weight of this solution absorbed under 0.3 psi pressure.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2008

We describe plant biomass in the grasslands of the Mongolian steppe obtained using a quadrat sampling technique. Four sites were studied in the northeastern Mongolia located between $47^{\circ}12'N$ and $47^{\circ}40'N$ and $102^{\circ}22'E$ and $112^{\circ}24'E$, which were typical grasslands of the steppe. Biomass, carbon and nitrogen content were determined for the plants collected from the grazed and ungarazed stands. With the measurements above, we expect to obtain information on grazing effects on the grasslands and carbon sequestration of the grassland from the air. In order to estimate the biomass without destroying the stands, we derived an equation to describe the relationship between plant biomass and v-value using plant height and species coverage within the stand. Estimated plant biomass in the ungrazed and grazed stands ranged between $108.0\;g\;m^{-2}$ and $13.4\;g\;m^{-2}$ and between $97.5\;g\;m^{-2}$ and $14.1\;g\;m^{-2}$ in late June 2005, respectively. Litter in the ungrazed and grazed stands ranged from $330.3\;g\;m^{-2}$ to $78.4\;g\;m^{-2}$ and from $188.0\;g\;m^{-2}$ to $20.3\;g\;m^{-2}$, similarly. Average carbon and nitrogen contents in plants and in litter were 43.0% and 1.9% and 33.7% and 1.4%, respectively. In study sites at Baganuur, the carbon and nitrogen content of plant materials (plant plus litter) was $118.4\;g\;m^{-2}$ and $4.7\;g\;m^{-2}$ on 30 June 2005.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.549-555
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• 2015

Objective of this study was to investigate the effect of carbonized biomass from crop residues on chemical properties of soil and soil carbon pools during soybean cultivation. The carbonized biomass was made by field scale mobile pyrolyzer. A pot experiment with soybean in sandy loam soil was conducted for 133 days in a greenhouse, by a completely randomized design with three replications. The treatments consisted of four levels including the control without input and three levels of carbonized biomass inputs of $9.75Mg\;ha^{-1}$, C-1 ; $19.5Mg\;ha^{-1}$, C-2 ; $39Mg\;ha^{-1}$, C-3. Soil samples were collected and analyzed pH, EC, TC, TN, inorganic-N, available phosphorus and exchangeable cations of the soils. Soil pH, Total-N and available phosphorus contents correspondingly increased with increasing the carbonized material input. The contents of soil carbon pools were $19.04Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ for C-1, $26.19Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ for C-2, $33.62Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ for C-3 and $12.01Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ for the control at the end of experiment, respectively. Increased contents of soil carbon pools relative to the control were estimated at $7.03Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ for C-1, $14.18Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ for C-2 and $21.62Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ for C-3 at the end of experiment, respectively, indicating that the soil carbon pools were increased with increasing the input rate of the carbonized biomass. Consequently, it seems that the carbonized biomass derived from the agricultural byproducts such as crop residues could increase the soil carbon pools and that the experimental results will be applied to the future study of soil carbon sequestration.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.10-22
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• 2022

Forest biomass energy is based on scientific evidence in response to carbon neutrality and the climate crisis, international consensus, and environmental-geographic characteristics of each nation. In this study, the authors aimed to analyze macroscopic forest biomass energy policies for ten major countries. They categorized them into six detailed categories (Sustainable utilization, Cascading Uutilization, Replacement of fossil fuel/Carbon intensive products, Utilization of forest by-products/residues as the source of energy, Contribution to carbon-neutral/climate change, and Biomass combined with CCS/CCUS ). In addition, the surveyed nations have developed a policy consensus on the active use of forest biomass with sustainable forest management except for the cascading utilization category. Furthermore, the authors evaluated the mid to long-term plans of the Korean government for improvements in the policy and legal aspects. As a result, the authors derived four major directions that South Korea should approach strategically in the future (1) secure financial resources for sustainable forest management and stimulating investment in the timber industry, (2) promote unified policies to establish a bio-economy, (3) enhancement of the forest biomass energy system, and (4) reorganization and promotion of strategy centered on the opinions of field experts in internal and external instability.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.197-204
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• 2012

The vast stores of biomass available in the worldwide have the potential to displace significant amounts of fuels that are currently derived from petroleum sources. Fast pyrolysis of biomass is one of possible paths by which we can convert biomass to higher value products. The wood pyrolysis oil (WPO), also known as the bio crude oil (BCO), has been regarded as an alternative fuel for petroleum fuels to be used in diesel engine. However, the use of WPO in a diesel engine requires modifications due to low energy density, high water contents, low acidity, and high viscosity of the WPO. One of the easiest way to adopt WPO to diesel engine without modifications is emulsification of WPO with diesel or bio diesel. In this study, a DI diesel engine operated with diesel, bio diesel (BD), WPO/BD emulsion was experimentally investigated. Performance and gaseous & particle emission characteristics of a diesel engine fuelled by WPO/BD emulsion were examined. Results showed that stable engine operation was possible with emulsion and engine output power was comparable to diesel and bio diesel operation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.833-844
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• 2008

Bio-energy offers the opportunity to lessen fossil fuel consumption. Energy derived from solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass sources are considered renewable. Because most forms of bio-energy are derive deither directly or indirectly from the sun, there is an abundant supply of renewable energy available, unlike fossil fuels. The use of bio-energy also provides environmental, economic and political benefits. Bio-energy can be produced from a marine source such as biomass provides a $CO_2$ neutral, non-polluting form of energy. In this paper, the potential of marine biomass is increasingly discussed, given the size of the resource in that more than three quarters of the surface of planet earth is covered by water.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.11a
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• pp.267-270
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• 2014

Since contaminants of syngas obtained from the biomass gasification are removed, the syngas is clean fuel. In this study a high-efficiency energy production system is developed. The system produces electricity using a waste pressure and feeds a low-pressure steam to Dyeing industrial complex. Also, iron oxide derived from dyeing sludge is utilized as a self-catalyst to reform a tar and reduce a tar emission from gasifier. This system increases the amount of syngas and finally achieves a highly efficient gasification.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.204-211
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• 2011

To yield high concentrations of protein expressed by genetically modified Escherichia coli, it is important that the bacterial strains are cultivated to high cell density in industrial bioprocesses. Since the expressed target protein is mostly accumulated inside the E. coli cells, the cellular product formation can be directly correlated to the bacterial biomass concentration. The typical way to determine this concentration is to sample offline. Such manual sampling, however, wastes time and is not efficient for acquiring direct feedback to control a fedbatch fermentation. An E. coli K12-derived strain was cultivated to high cell density in a pressurized stirred bioreactor on a pilot scale, by detecting biomass concentration online using a capacitance probe. This E. coli strain was grown in pure minimal medium using two carbon sources (glucose and glycerol). By applying exponential feeding profiles corresponding to a constant specific growth rate, the E. coli culture grew under carbon-limited conditions to minimize overflow metabolites. A high linearity was found between capacitance and biomass concentration, whereby up to 85 g/L dry cell weight was measured. To validate the viability of the culture, the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) was determined online, yielding maximum values of 0.69 mol/l/h and 0.98mol/l/h by using glucose and glycerol as carbon sources, respectively. Consequently, online monitoring of biomass using a capacitance probe provides direct and fast information about the viable E. coli biomass generated under aerobic fermentation conditions at elevated headspace pressures.