• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.220-224
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• 2014

Flocculation is known one of the effective methods for harvesting microalgae. This study was aimed to optimize the flocculation condition for decreasing the amounts of flocculant and obtaining the highest yield of algal biomass. To achieve this goal, it was optimized the flocculant concentration, reaction pH and the concentration of cell density for harvest using response surface methodology (RSM). The flocculation of microalgae, Spirogyra varians, was carried out using inorganic flocculant polyaluminium chloride. By the RSM result, the optimal flocculation condition was calculated 5 ppm of polyaluminum chloride, pH 7.5 and 0.33 of optical cell density at $OD_{640}$. The obtained recovery yield of S. varians was 97.6% at the optimal condition.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.405-415
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• 2021

MMBR system has been suggested as a promising system to resolve harvesting problems induced from low settling efficiency of microalgae. And recently, a lot of research on reducing fouling at the MMBR system has investigated focused on EPS in many cases. EPS of microalgae mainly consists of polysaccharides and protein components, and is produced through photosynthesis and nitrogen-carbon metabolic pathways. Especially, P-EPS is one of major compounds which occur membrane fouling phenomenon, as its hydrophobic protein components cause floc formation and cake layer accumulation. And it is already known that almost every microalgae can metabolize P-EPS or Chl-a when nitrogen sources as a substrate is insufficient or exhausted situation. With the above backgrounds, uptake rates of P-EPS or Chl-a by Scenedesmus quadricauda according to the type of carbon source and nitrogen concentration were evaluated in order to verify correlation between carbon source vs P-EPS production, and indeed Scenedesmus quadricauda uses P-EPS or Chl-a when the amounts of nitrogen sourc es in the feed is not satisfied. As a result, it was shown that P-EPS and Chl-a production were increased proportional to nitrogen concentration under organic carbon condition. And especially, the amo unts of P-EPS and Chl-a in the cell were diminished with the nitrogen source becomes insufficient or exhausted. Because P-EPS accelerates fouling at the MMBR system, P-EPS degradation by Scenedesmus quadricauda in order to get nitrogen source may contribute to reducing fouling. About a affects of N-consumed Chl-a to the MMBR fouling, more survey is needed. On the contrary, considering the purpose of MMBR system of this study, i.e. harvesting useful high value microalgae efficiently feeding adequate industrial process wastewater, it seems like difficult to maintain satisfied metabolic activity and to harvest with high yield rate using nitrogen-poor MMBR feed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.630-637
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• 2018

The high rate algal ponds (HRAP) powered and mixed by a paddlewheel have been widely used for over 50 years to culture microalgae for the production of various products. Since light incidence is limited to the surface, water depth can affect microalgal growth in HRAP. To investigate the effect of water depth on microalgal growth, a mixed microalgal culture constituting three major strains of microalgae including Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus sp., and Stigeoclonium sp. (CSS), was grown at different water depths (20, 30, and 40 cm) in the HRAP, respectively. The HRAP with 20cm of water depth had about 38% higher biomass productivity per unit area ($6.16{\pm}0.33g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and required lower nutrients and energy consumption than the other water depths. Specifically, the algal biomass of HRAP under 20cm of water depth had higher settleability through larger floc size (83.6% settleability within 5 min). These results indicate that water depth can affect the harvesting process as well as cultivation of microalgae. Therefore, we conclude that water depth is an important parameter in HRAP design for mass cultivation of microalgae.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2018

In this study, effects of nutrient and inorganic carbon on single cell emergence during the cultivation of microalgae were observed using colonial green algae, Pediastrum duplex. The concentration of inorganic carbon had significant effect on single cell emergence and its growth, but nitrogen and phosphorus concentration showed minor effects. According to P. duplex cultivation experiment, single cell started to be emerged around 500~750 mg-C/L of inorganic carbon concentration and it was bloomed dramatically at the higher values. And growth of P. duplex was started to be surpressed at the single cell formation concentration. From the results, it could be said that when we operate the microalgae systems for cultivation/harvesting or wastewater treatment, in order to avoid single cell formation, inorganic carbon should be maintained to the proper level.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2015

We have investigated the productivity of microalgae, Nannochloropsis sp., using highly efficient vertical photobioreactor which has been developed by the company IMBiz. This experiment was performed in the field for one month with 2 sets of 2 tons of media under autotrophic cultural mode. In the culture with 0.1% of $CO_2$, the average daily productivity was shown to be up to 0.953g per liter, and 0.574g per liter in the culture with only ambient air. The temperature ranged from $20^{\circ}C$ to $31^{\circ}C$, and it didn't make any differences on the productivity. The light intensity ranged from 5,000 Lux to 40,000 Lux. The light has been appeared to have a very close relationship with the productivity of microalgae. Meanwhile, the harvesting method of pressurefloating attempted in this photobioreactor was found to be very effective.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.365-384
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• 2012

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that are highly productive in the presence of basic renewable natural sources (light, $CO_2$, water and nutrients). They can synthesize lipids, carbohydrates and proteins in a small number of days. Subsequently, these carbon-captured products can be processed into both biofuels and valuable co-products. Additionally, microalgae would be an ideal feedstock for replacing land-based food crops with cellular products as high energy density transportation fuels. These microscopic organisms could contribute a significant amount of renewable energy on a global scale. In Korea, microalgae biofuel research was common in the early 1990s. The research activities were unfortunately stopped due to limited governmental funds and low petroleum prices. Interest in algal biofuels in Korea has been growing recently due to an increased concern over oil prices, energy security, greenhouse gas emissions, and the potential for other biofuel feedstock to compete for limited agricultural resources. The high productivity of microalgae suggests that much of the Korean transportation fuel requirements can be met by biofuels at a production cost competitive with the increasing cost of petroleum seen in early 2008. At this time, the development of microlalgal biomass production technology remains in its infancy. This study reviewed microalgae culture systems and biomass production, harvesting, oil extraction, conversion, and technoeconomical bottlenecks. Many technical and economic barriers to using microalgal biofuels need to be overcome before mass production of microalgal-derived fuel substitutes is possible. However, serious efforts to overcome these barriers could become a large-scale commercial reality. Overall, this study provides a brief overview of the past few decades of global microalgal research.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1566-1573
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• 2014

Although most algae cultivation systems are operated in suspended culture, an attached growth system can offer several advantages over suspended systems. Algal cultivation becomes light-limited as the microalgal concentration increases in the suspended system; on the other hand, sunlight penetrates deeper and stronger in attached systems owing to the more transparent water. Such higher availability of sunlight makes it possible to operate a raceway pond deeper than usual, resulting in a higher areal productivity. The attached system achieved 2.8-times higher biomass productivity and total lipid productivity of $9.1g\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$ and $1.9g\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, respectively, than the suspended system. Biomass productivity can be further increased by optimization of the culture conditions. Moreover, algal biomass harvesting and dewatering were made simpler and cheaper in attached systems, because mesh-type substrates with attached microalgae were easily removed from the culture and the remaining treated wastewater could be discharged directly. When the algal biomass was dewatered using natural sunlight, the palmitic acid (C16:0) content increased by 16% compared with the freeze-drying method. There was no great difference in other fatty acid composition. Therefore, the attached system for algal cultivation is a promising cultivation system for mass biodiesel production.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.282-291
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• 2022

Since the efficiency of wastewater treatment using microalgae differs depending on the metabolic characteristics of the species, it is important to understand the characteristics of target algae prior to the application in wastewater treatment. In this study, for the application of Arthrospira platensis to wastewater treatment, which is a filamentous alkaliphilic cyanobacteria, basic species specificity was identified and the possibility of application to wastewater treatment was investigated. As a result of the species specificity investigation, the specific growth rate between pH 7.0 and 11.0 showed the highest value near pH 9 at 0.25/day. The reason for the relatively low growth(0.08/day) at pH 11 was thought to be the CA(carbonic anhydrase) enzyme that is involved in carbon fixation during photosynthesis has the highest activity at pH 8.0 to 9.0, and at pH 11, CA activity was relatively low. In addition, A. platensis showed optimal growth at 400 PPFD(photosynthetic photon flux density) and 30℃, and this means that cyanobacteria such as A. platensis have a larger number of PS-I(photosystem I) than that of PS-II(photosystem II). It was speculated that it was because higher light intensity and temperature were required to sufficiently generate electrons to transfer to PS-I. Regarding the applicability of A. platensis, it was suggested that if a system using the synergistic effect of co-culture of A. platensis and bacteria was developed, a more efficient system would be possible. And different from single cocci, filamentous A. platensis expected to have a positive impact on harvesting, which is very important in the latter part of the wastewater treatment process.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.379-391
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• 2024

Tocopherol, carotenoids, and chlorophyll are the primary components of the antioxidative response in microalgae. Conditions of stress, such salt stress, can trigger the processes responsible for the accumulation of tocopherol and carotene. It has been found that the most difficult part of culturing microalgae is keeping it affordable. This study investigated the effects of different salt types and concentrations on the amount of α-tocopherol, carotenoid derivatives, and flocculation efficiency of Euglena sp. Cultures of Euglena sp. was developed under salt stress conditions of NaCl 200 mM and KCl 200 mM. UV-VIS spectrophotometry was used to confirm the presence of α-tocopherol and carotenoid derivatives under thirteen days of salt stress testing. Increasing salinity has a significant effect on Euglena sp., causing spherical cell morphologies with aspect ratio 1.385 ± 0.031 for NaCl 200 mM and 1.414 ± 0.040 for KCl 200 mM. Increasing salinity also slowing down development with specific growth rate value of 0.171 ± 0.006 per day and 0.122 ± 0.029 per day for NaCl and KCl 200 mM, respectively. Nevertheless, the amount of α-tocopherol in Euglena sp. increases with a high salt concentration; algal cells flocculated more successfully when increasing the salt concentrations (NaCl 200 mM and KCl 200 mM) was added. Due to the inhibition of photosynthetic activity in salt-stressed cells, the control group exhibited higher levels of carotenoid derivatives (ranging from 0.5-1 ㎍/mL) and pheophytin a and b (0.0062 ± 0.001 ㎍/mL and 0.0064 ± 0.001 ㎍/mL) than the group treated with salt stress. In conclusion, salt stress was an effective way to raises the concentration of α-tocopherol and significantly reduce the expense of harvesting Euglena sp.