• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.753-770
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• 2017

The coagulation or flocculation of cohesive clay suspensions is one of the most widely used treatment technologies for contaminated water. Flocculated clay can transport pollutants and nutrients in ground water. Coagulants are used to accelerate these mechanisms. However, existing coagulants (e.g., polyacrylamide, polyaluminum chloride) are known to have harmful effects in the environment and on human health. As an alternative, eco-friendly coagulant, this study suggests ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$, a cationic biopolymer fermented by Streptomyces. A series of sedimentation experiments for various ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ concentrations were performed, and the efficiency of sedimentation with ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ was estimated by microscopic observation and light absorbance measurements. Two types of sedimentation were observed in the experiments: accumulation sedimentation (at 0.15%, 0.20%, 0.25% ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$) and flocculation sedimentation (at 0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$). These sedimentation types occur as a result of the concentration of counter ions. Additionally, the performance of ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ was compared with that of a previously used environmentally friendly coagulant, chitosan. The obtained results indicate that flocculation sedimentation is appropriate for contamination removal and that ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ functions more efficiently for clay removal than chitosan. From the experiments and analysis, this paper finds that polylysine is an alternative eco-friendly coagulant for removing chemical contaminants in groundwater.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.1204-1209
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• 2002

Polymerization of heated or unheated pig skin collagen using microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) was investigated. Pig skin collagen samples were heated or left unheated, then enzymatically polymerized with MTGase. SDS-PAGE was conducted to confirm the intermolecular polymer and the results showed similar bands between samples without MTGase and unheated samples with MTGase. The polymerized product of pig skin collagen was not formed in unheated samples, even when MTGase was added during incubation. Different results were obtained from samples heated at $80^{\circ}C$ and $100^{\circ}C$ for 2 min, whereas the SDS-PAGE pattern indicated that a polymer band was generated in both cases. The heat treatment successfully modified the native structure of collagen and also made collagen more reactable in the MTGase polymerization system. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) investigation of pig skin collagen showed a biopolymer structure through intermolecular collagen crosslinking, while there were no intermolecular crosslinks in samples not treated with MTGase. There were no significant differences in fibril diameter between treated samples and controls. These results suggest that heat treatment of native pig skin collagen enhanced the polymerization capability of MTGase.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.327-332
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• 2001

The antifibrotic effects of hot water extract (WEC), intracellular biopolymer (IPC) and extracellular biopolymers (EPC) from mycelial liquid culture of Cordyceps militaris on liver fibrosis were studied. Liver fibrosis was induced by a bile duct ligation and scission (BDL/S) operation, duration of 4 weeks in rats. In BDL/S rats, the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin in serum and hydroxyproline content in liver were dramatically increased. The WEC or IPC treatment (30mg/kg/day for 4 weeks, p.o.) in BDL/S rats reduced the serum AST, ALT and ALP levels significantly (p<0.01). The EPC treatment (30 mg/kg /day for 4 weeks, p.o.) reduced the serum ALT, AST and ALP levels significantly (p<0.01). Malondialdehyde contents in liver treated with WEC, IPC or EPC were significantly reduced (p <0.05). But Liver hydroxyproline content was decreased only in EPC treated BDL/S rats to 55% that of BDL/S control rats (p < 0.01). The morphological characteristics and expression of alpha smooth muscle like actin in fibrotic liver, which appeared in BDL/S control group were improved in EPC treated fibrotic liver. These results indicate that IPC (30 mg/kg /day for 4 weeks, p.o.) has an antifibrotic effect on fibrotic rats induced by BDL/S.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.209-222
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• 2024

The Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) shield Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is widely used for underground tunnel construction for its advantages, such as eliminating the need for additional facilities compared to the slurry shield TBM, which requires Slurry Treatment Plant (STP). During EPB shield TBM excavation, a soil conditioning technique is employed to enhance the physical properties of the excavated soil by injecting additives, thus broadening the range of applicable ground conditions to EPB shield TBMs. This study explored the use of xanthan gum, a type of biopolymer, as an alternative to the commonly used polymer additive. Biopolymers, derived from biological sources, are fully biodegradable. In contrast to traditional polymers such as polyacrylic acid, which contain environmentally harmful components, xanthan gum is gaining attention as an eco-friendly material due to its minimal toxicity and environmental impact. Test conditions with similar workability were established through slump tests, and the rheological characteristics were assessed using a laboratory pressurized vane shear test apparatus. The experiments demonstrated that, despite exhibiting similar workability, the peak strength in the flow curve decreased with increasing the content of xanthan gum. Consequently, a correlation between the xanthan gum content and peak strength was established. Replacing the traditional polymers with xanthan gum could enable stable EPB shield TBM operation by reducing equipment load, in addition to offering environmental benefits.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.849-862
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• 2017

With growing interests in using bacterial biopolymers in geotechnical practices, identifying mechanical properties of soft gel-like biopolymers is important in predicting their efficacy in soil modification and treatment. As one of the promising candidates, dextran was found to be produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The model bacteria utilize sucrose as working material and synthesize both soluble and insoluble dextran which forms a complex and inhomogeneous polymer network. However, the traditional rheometer has a limitation to capture in situ properties of inherently porous and inhomogeneous biopolymers. Therefore, we used the particle tracking microrheology to characterize the material properties of the dextran polymer. TEM images revealed a range of pore size mostly less than $20{\mu}m$, showing large pores > $2{\mu}m$ and small pores within the solid matrix whose sizes are less than $1{\mu}m$. Microrheology data showed two distinct regimes in the bacterial dextran, purely viscous pore region of soluble dextran and viscoelastic region of the solid part of insoluble dextran matrix. Diffusive beads represented the soluble dextran dissolved in an aqueous phase, of which viscosity was three times higher than the growth medium viscosity. The local properties of the insoluble dextran were extracted from the results of the minimally moving beads embedded in the dextran matrix or trapped in small pores. At high frequency (${\omega}>0.2Hz$), the insoluble dextran showed the elastic behavior with the storage modulus of ~0.1 Pa. As frequency decreased, the insoluble dextran matrix exhibited the viscoelastic behavior with the decreasing storage modulus in the range of ${\sim}0.1-10^{-3}Pa$ and the increasing loss modulus in the range of ${\sim}10^{-4}-1\;Pa$. The obtained results provide a compilation of frequency-dependent rheological or viscoelastic properties of soft gel-like porous biopolymers at the particular conditions where soil bacteria produce bacterial biopolymers in subsurface.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1189-1197
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to investigate the nutrient removal using Mg-Sericite flocculant in the dyeing wastewater. Mg-Sericite flocculant was removed successfully > 98% of the Color, SS. COD and BOD in the dyeing wastewater at the following optimal Mg-Sericite dosage: 100 mg/L for Colour and SS, 300 mg/L for BOD and COD. The removal of TN and TP was obtained 92.00% with 50 mg/L and 87.80% with 100 mg/L Mg-Sericite dosage, respectively. These results was indicated that the amount of 0.79~1.31, 0.22~0.37, 0.5 and 0.16 mg/L Mg-Sericite was necessary for 1 mg/L removal BOD, COD, TN and TP, respectively. The biopolymer, Mg-Sericite, can be a promising flocculants due to its high efficiency and low dose requirements. In addition, Mg-Sericite does not contaminate treated wastewater, which can be recycled to reduce not only the cost and the demand for water but also the extra operational costs for reusing wastewater. This flocculation method is helpful to lower the wastewater treatment cost.

• Entomological Research
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.480-489
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• 2018

Due to the increasing interest in natural biopolymers including chitin, the exploitation of economic and easily accessible chitin sources with good physicochemical properties is nowadays required. In view of this fact, in the current study chitin was extracted and physicochemically characterized from six Cicadas (Hemiptera: Homoptera: Cicadoidea) species collected from Mediterranean region of Turkey (2014-15). Chitin was extracted using a classic extraction method that includes acid and base treatment. TGA results revealed a remarkable increase ($410-412^{\circ}C$) for all the six Cicada species compared to other chitin samples extracted from various sources. For all of the six selected species the chitin contents on the dry basis were determined as 6.7% for Cicadatra atra, 5.51% for C. hyalina, 8.84% for C. platyptera, 4.97% for Cicada lodosi, 6.49% for C. mordoganensis, and 5.88% for Cicadetta tibialis. The surface morphology of chitin isolates from Cicada species was observed to consist of nanofibers and nanopores.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.362-368
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• 2019

For the practical application and development of biopolymer flocculant Biopol32 produced by Pseudomonas sp. GP32, its flocculation effect on wastewater from food processing, slaughter houses, and the dyeing industry was investigated. In the food processing wastewater, Biopol32 led to a chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction rate of 70% and a suspended solid (SS) removal rate of 49% at pH 6.0. In the slaughter house wastewater at pH 4.0, a COD reduction rate of 61% and SS removal rate of 91% were observed, and in the dyeing wastewater, the rates were 72% and 92%, respectively, at pH 5.0. The size of floc formed during the flocculation process was 10 mm at a final concentration of 20 ppm, and the dehydration efficiency was 62%. In both the bioflocculant Biopol32 group and a PAA synthetic flocculant group, optimal flocculant concentration that yielded the best overall dehydration efficiency was 20 ppm, and, at this concentration, the shortest filtration time to reach the natural critical moisture content of 78.1% was attained.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.163-173
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• 2018

The biopolymer (BP) used in this study is mainly composed of xanthan gum and ${\beta}$-glucan derived from microorganism and has been introduced as a novel material for soil stabilization. However, the broad applicability of BP has been suggested in the field of geotechnical engineering while little information is available about the effects of BP on the vegetation. The goal of this study is to find the BP effects on the growth of Camelina sativa L. (Camelina) under drought condition. For more thorough evaluation of BP effects on the plant growth, we examined not only morphological but also physiological traits and gene expression patterns. After 25 days of drought treatment from germination in the soil amended with 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1% BP, we observed that the BP concentration was strongly correlated the growth of Camelina. When plants were grown under drought stress, Camelina in 0.5% BP mixture showed better physiological parameters of the leaf stomatal conductance, electrolyte leakage and relative water content compared to those in control soil without BP. Plant recovery rate after re-watering was higher and the development of lateral root was lower in BP amended soil. RNA expression of Camelina leaf treated with/without drought for 7 and 10 days showed that aquaporin genes transporting solutes at bio-membrane, CsPIP1;4, 2;1, 2;6 and TIP1;2, 2;1, were induced more in the plants with BP amendment and drought treatment. These results suggest that the soil amended with BP has a positive effect on the transport of nutrients and waters into Camelina by improving water retention in soil under drought condition.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.163-167
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• 2006

Pectin was enzymatically extracted from industrial lemon pomace by using an endo-polygalacturonase from Aspergillus niger as a processing aid and compared to pectin extraction by hot hydrochloric acid. The yield of pectin was 17.6 and 20.2% with enzymatic and acidic treatments, respectively. The molecular weight distribution did not vary greatly between the samples extracted with enzyme or acid. Large differences in charge density were observed, however, when the samples were analyzed by anionic-exchange chromatography. Pectin extracted by the enzymatic treatment indicated higher charge density than that obtained by hydrochloric acid. The higher charge density could due to the presence of endogenous lemon pectinesterase, which was activated at low pH 4.5 in situ conditions during the process of enzymatic extraction, leading to low methoxylated pectin with a higher charge density.