• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1156-1163
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• 2008

We performed RT-nested PCR to study the distribution of human enteric viruses in urban rivers in Korea. During 2002-2003, water samples were collected from four rivers in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Among 58 samples, 45 (77.6%), 32 (55.2%), 12 (20.7%), 2 (3.4%), 4 (6.9%), and 4 (6.9%) showed positive results with adenoviruses (AdVs), enteroviruses (EVs), reoviruses (ReVs), hepatitis A viruses (HAVs), rotaviruses (RoVs), and sapoviruses (SVs), respectively. According to the binary logistic regression model, the occurrence of each enteric virus, except ReVs and HAVs, was not statistically correlated with the water temperature and levels of fecal coliforms (P<0.05). AdVs were most often detected; only 4 samples (6.9%) were negative for AdVs while positive for other enteric viruses in the studied sites. Our results indicated that monitoring human enteric viruses is necessary to improve microbial quality, and that AdVs detection by PCR can be a useful index for the presence of other enteric viruses in aquatic environments.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.205-211
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• 2009

In this study, the membrane filter method was compared to the MPN method for the analysis of total coliforms from raw water using raw test waters and controls including 6 standard strains of coliforms, and the various factors were analyzed on the detection of general and fecal origin coliforms. The range of error rate for the detection of 5 standard strains using the membrane filter and the MPN methods was 0 to 6% and 45 to 133%, respectively. The error rate of the membrane filter method was lower than that of the MPN method. The membrane filter method (m-Endo) showed 10% (11 out of 111) of difference for the detection sensitivity of coliforms isolated from raw water compared to the MPN method (BGLB). The membrane filter method was less affected by the factors including temperature, turbidity, charcoals of powder form, contamination, and reverse pressure. In conclusion, the membrane filter method is a better method for the analysis of total coliforms from raw water than the MPN method, considering the accuracy of detection and the tolerance to various experimental factors.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 1985

File fish fillets collected from markets were analyzed for their microbial load and microflora, resulting in the level of aerobic mesophiles ranged from $3.5{\times}10^3$ to $1.1{\times}10^8CFU/g$, total coliforms from less than 2.3 to $4.6{\times}10^5MPN/g$, fecal coliforms from 1ess than 2.3 to $1.1{\times}10^5MPN/g$, Enterobacteriaceae from $3{\times}10$ to $4.4{\times}10^5CFU/g$ and fecal Streptococci from $1.6{\times}10^2$ to $7.6{\times}10^6CFU/g$ having Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus hemolyticus, Micrococcus varians, Micrococcus luteus and Streptococcus cremoris as constituent microorganisms of aerobic mesophiles, Escherichia coli and Proteus rettgeri of Family Enterobacteriaceae, and Streptococcus faecium and Streptococcus avium of fecal Streptococci.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2008

The seawater in the Taean area was surveyed to evaluate the conditions of the bay and compliance with the bacteriological criteria for a designated area for shellfish production for export. Samples of seawater were collected monthly at 34 sampling stations established in the survey area from January 2002 to December 2004. The bacterial density in the coastal area close to a pollution source located to the northeast of the survey area was higher than in the open sea to the west. The bacteriological counts in the water did not change with 16.5mm of rainfall, but increased abruptly after 65.4mm of rainfall. The total coliform and fecal coliform most probable numbers (MPNs) of 1,224 seawater samples in the survey area were <1.8-2,400 and <1.8-790 MPN/100 mL, respectively. The geometric mean and estimated 90th percentile of total coliforms were 1.9-3.4 and 2.7-26.3 MPN/100mL, respectively, and for fecal coliforms were <1.8-2.6 and 1.8-12.0 MPN/100mL, respectively. The bacteriological water quality in the Taean seawater area met the National Shellfish Sanitation Program criteria for an approved area and the Korea Shellfish Sanitation Program criteria for a designated area for shellfish production for export.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.215-223
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• 2012

This study was performed to investigate hygienic behavior of food workers on the awareness of hand-washing, and the microbial load of their hands. This study focused on the comparison of fast food restaurant workers and full-service restaurant workers. A questionnaire survey and microbiological analysis were carried out for thirty fast food restaurant workers and forty full-service restaurant workers. Samples for microbiological analysis were collected through the glove-juice method from the hands of the food workers, and were analyzed for the presence of aerobic plate counts, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella spp. Microbiological analysis was done according to the Food Code of Korea. In the survey, significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the fast food restaurant workers and full-service restaurant workers in the use of hand washing tools and method of turning off water. More full-service restaurant workers responded to wash their hands after touching face, hair, or clothes; after handling raw food materials, and more fast food restaurant workers periodically (p < 0.05). Aerobic plate counts were higher in fast food restaurant workers while total coliforms were higher in full-service restaurant workers (p < 0.05). No remarkable difference was found between the two groups in the load of fecal coliforms, E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. Poor hand hygiene practices were indicated by the positive results for E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. on the hands of some food workers in both groups. The findings of this study emphasize the need for strict adherence to hand hygiene compliance among the food workers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.517-521
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• 2007

To assess possible risks from the consumption of drinking water from various sources, a survey of the microbiological quality of tap water, commercial bottled drinking water which is exploited from natural mineral water, and natural spring water was conducted. A total of 4 different brands of commercial bottled drinking water, and 4 types of spring water from different sources, and tap water from 4 private houses were tested for four index microorganisms, and the microbial quality changes of the water during the storage at room temperature or refrigerated temperature for 7 days. Aerobic plate counts of all of the initial water samples were still within 100 CFU/ml (drinking water standard of Korea). Total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and E. coli were not detected in all of the water samples at initial. However, aerobic plate counts of three types of spring water and three types of bottled drinking water stored at room temperature showed higher levels than the standards in 5 days. Total coliforms were detected in three types of spring water after one day's storage at room temperature, and in one type of bottled drinking water after 5 days' storage. These results indicate that some of the spring water surveyed are not safe to drink, and the spring water and bottled drinking water after opening the lid should not be stored at room temperature, if they are used for drinking.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2008

The sanitary quality of a shellfish-growing area in Kamak Bay, Korea, was assessed through a bacteriological examination of seawater and oysters from January 2004 to December 2006. From seawater samples collected at 28 stations, the range of geometric mean (GM) and the estimated 90th percentile for most-probable-number (MPN) values of fecal coliforms were <1.8-2.4 MPN/100 mL and 1.8-6.0 MPN/100 mL, respectively. The observed fecal coliform GM and the estimated 90th percentile did not exceed the fecal coliform water quality standards of 14 MPN/100 mL and 43 MPN/100 mL. Therefore, the bacteriological quality of seawater at this shellfish-growing area met the Korean Shellfish Sanitation Program (KSSP) criteria for a growing area used for export. The range of the fecal coliform GM and the estimated 90th percentile MPN values of oyster samples were 19.2-160 MPN/100 g and 20.2-166.9 MPN/100 g, respectively, and the range of the viable cell count was 30-1900 CFU/g. Thus, the fecal coliform value for the oysters and the viable cell count were less than the current shellfish quality standards of 230 MPN/100 g and 50,000 CFU/g, respectively. The bacteriological quality of the oysters complied with the criteria for domestic use and export of shellfish.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.24-45
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• 1972

The Han River is an important water source in Seoul and neighbouring districts, for public and industrial supply, and for agriculture and fishery. Nowadays, more than six million inhabitants are supplied withe water from this river. The total length of the river is 470km, and has 17 10$\^$9/㎥ an average annual flow. The hydrographic characteristics at Seoul are 653㎥/sec in an average flow, 4,608㎥/sec in the maximum average flow, and 201㎥/sec in the minimum average flow. These are influenced in some degree by snowmelt in early spring, and greatly by the flood during summer. For the pollution problems, the periods of low flow are critical ones. As a rule they occur around the months November through June. Nowadays, most of the sewage from towns and industries is discharged untreated. Apart from domestic and industrial sewages, there are some discharges of mineral matter by mines in the upriver region. In general, water quality of the Han River is kept very clean and healthy until Kwangnaru of the upper region of Seoul. A large pollution, however, is received in the downstream by the domestic and industrial sewages of Seoul. It can be seen that dissolved oxygen, COD and BOD$\sub$5/ diminish markedly, and the intensity of almost every water parameter of the river continues to increase. Comparison of the figures for 1971 derived from a sampling point 40km downstream of Kwangnaru leads to the conclusion that hardness, Ca and Mg were no changed; alkalinity, Si and soluble- Fe were slightly increased; CO$\sub$2/, acidity, Cl, NO$\sub$2/-N, Cu, Zn and Al were increased in 2 and 3 times; total residue, total ignitious residue, COD, BOD$\sub$5/, NH$\sub$4/-N, PO$\sub$4/-P, Mn, Pb and total-Fe were increased in 4 to 7 times; and SO$\sub$4/, particulate-Fe and Cd were increased in 10 to 11 times. On the other hand, coliforms were increased in 650 times; fecal coliforms in 365 times; enterococci and total plate counts in 30 times, respectively. In view points of water quality standards, the down Han River water is now leveling out in Cd, coliforms and fecal coliforms for the agricultural use; in dissolved oxygen and some trace elements (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) for the fishery use; in ammonia, COD, BOD$\sub$5/, and Cd for the drinking use.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.609-615
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• 1996

To study the effects of the fructooligosaccharide (FOS) intake on the intestinal microflora, the FOS (8g) was served to each of 5 volunteers (adult men $23{\sim}28$ years old) after every lunch for 4 weeks. Changes in fecal microflora, fecal moisture, and fecal pH were observed during the FOS intake and after the FOS intake, respectively. The fecal moisture content of the control period (4 weeks before the intake of FOS) was $81.77{\pm}1.18%$. The moisture content of the feces increased significantly at the end of the 4th week of FOS intake, and these effects lasted for 3 weeks after stopping FOS intake. The fecal pH before FOS intake was $6.56{\pm}0.09%$, while it decreased significantly (p<0.01) during the period of FOS intake. The pH reduction lasted for 4 weeks after stopping the intake of FOS. The log fecal number of Bifidobacteria during the period was $7.88{\pm}1.43%$ (CFU/g of wet feces) and it increased significantly during the FOS intake. After stopping the intake of FOS, the number of Bifidobacteria returned to those of control period. The log fecal number of Lactobacilli before the intake was $6.76{\pm}1.34%$ and significantly increased in 3 weeks due to the FOS intake. After stopping the intake of FOS, however, the number of Lactobacilli returned to those of control period. No remarkable changes were observed in the number of coliforms throughout all durations.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 1999

The study on the bacterial distribution was performed to evaluate the bacteriological safety in 4 deep confined aquifers drilled for drinking. All the investigated aquifers were oligotrophic, howevec bacterial densities and activities and the number of indicator bacteria in C-2 boreholes were much higher than those in other boreholes. Fecal pollution was observed in 3 boreholcs except C-1 borehole. The ratio of gram positive bacteria of the C-2 borehole was much lower than those 01 another boreholes. The numbers of total colifonns, fecal coliforms, and fecal Slreptococcus in the C-2 boreholes were 61, 33, 55 CFU (250 ml)$^{-1}$