• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2014

Microorganisms play a significant role in bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated seawater. In this study, we reported an effective removal of Cu and Zn in marine envionment by using Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (D. desulfuricans) which belong to sulfate reducing bacteria. D. desulfuricans showed stable growth characteristics in high salt concentration and had resistance to heavy metals. Cu and Zn was removed not only by physical adsorption on the surface of bacteria but also by precipitation reaction of microbial metabolism by D. desulfuricans in seawater. In case of different heavy metal concentration, Cu was effectively removed 85% at 25 ppm and 60% at 50 ppm and Zn was effectively removed 54% at 50 ppm and 46% at 200 ppm, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.937-941
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• 2003

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is an electrochemical process where the participation of microorganisms initiates, facilitates, or accelerates the corrosion reaction. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) reduce sulfate to sulfide and are known to be the most destructive microorganisms in anaerobic MIC. Accordingly, the current study attempted to elucidate the mechanisms involved and the relative importance of the corrosive products in SRB-induced corrosion. The measured rate of anaerobic corrosion of iron coupons by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was $89.9{\;}\mu\textrm{g}{\;}\textrm{m}^{-2}{\;}d^{-1}$. Direct contact between the cells and the iron coupon did not seem to be necessary for corrosion to occur, since the corrosion rate was similar ($100.8{\;}\mu\textrm{g}{\;}\textrm{m}^{-2}{\;}d^{-1}$) when the coupon was enclosed in a dialysis bag. The participation of sulfide in the corrosion process was only marginal, as the specific corrosion rate was 2.5 times higher in a sulfate-free pyruvate medium than in an $H_2S-producing$ lactate medium. Acetate (18.8-22.1 mM), the end-product of pyruvate and lactate metabolism, was identified in the culture medium and thus presumed to play a major role in the corrosion process involving Desulfovibrio desulfuricans.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2013

A dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) inoculated with Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and supplemented with lactate as an organic fuel was employed in this study. Biofilm formed on the anodic electrode was examined by scanning electron microscopy, revealing that the amount of biofilm was increased with repeated cycles of MFC operation. The maximum current production was notably increased from the first cycle ($1,310.0{\pm}22.3mA/m^2$) to the final cycle ($1,539.4{\pm}25.8mA/m^2$) of MFC run. Coulombic efficiency was also increased from $89.4%{\pm}0.2%$ to $98.9%{\pm}0.5%$. We suggest that the current production efficiency was related to the biomass of biofilm formed on the electrode, which was also increased as the MFC run was repeated. It was also found that D. desulfuricans, which colonized on the electrode, produced filaments or nano-pili. Nano-pili were effective for the attachment of cells on the electrode. In addition, the nano-pili provided a cell-to-cell link and stimulated the development of thicker electroactive biofilm, and therefore, they facilitated electron transfer to the anode. Conclusively, the biofilm of D. desulfuricans enhanced the current production in the MFC as a result of effective attachment of cells and electron transfer from the cell network to the electrode.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.545-548
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• 2001

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of metal is common in the natural environment and sulfate reducing bacteria are representative microorganisms for MIC. We found that biofilm fomlation by SRB on the metal surface might be controlled by quorum sensing, which is a cell density dependent regulation of cell metabolism. As cell free culture fluids (spent media) of Desulfovibrio vulgaris and D. desulfuricans were tested for quontrn sensing related test strains, it was found that spent media of two SRB induced increased luminescence of Vibrio harveyi BB886 (sensor 1+, sensor 2-) and BB170 (sensor 1-, sensor 2+). Quorum activities of D. vulgaris and D. desulfuricans appeared to be parallel to growth patterns, i.e., it was low in the lag phase, highly increased in the exponential phase, and reached maximum in the stationary phase. Interestingly, however, luminescence of V. harveyi BB886 and BB170 induced by a unit cell mass of the SHB showed a maximal peak in the late lag phase. Hence, it was suspected that quorum sensing of these two SHB play unknown roles in shifting cells from dormant to growth stages.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.219-228
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• 2013

To understand characteristics of biogeochemical corrosion for the metal canisters that usually contain the radioactive wastes for a long-term period below the ground, some metal materials consisting of cast iron and copper were reacted for 3 months with D. desulfuricans, a sulfate-reducing bacterium, under a reducing condition. During the experiment, concentrations of dissolved metal ions were periodically measured, and then metal specimen and surface secondary products were examined using the electron microscopy to know the chemical and mineralogical changes of the original metal samples. The metal corrosion was not noticeable at the absence of D. desulfuricans, but it was relatively greater at the presence of the bacterium. In our experiment, darkish metal sulfides such as mackinawite and copper sulfide were the final products of biogeochemical metal corrosion, and they were easily scaled off the original specimen and suspended as colloids. For the copper specimen, in particular, there appeared an accelerated corrosion of copper in the presence of dissolved iron and bacteria in solution, probably due to a weakening of copper-copper binding caused by a growth of other phase, iron sulfide, on the copper surface.