• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.29 no.12
• /
• pp.1171-1184
• /
• 2020

The green synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) using biomaterials has garnered considerable attention in recent years because of its eco-friendly, non-toxic, simple, and low-cost nature. In this study, we synthesized NPs of noble metals, such as Ag and Au using an aqueous extract of a marine seaweed, Ecklonia cava. The formation of AgNPs and AuNPs was confirmed by the presence of surface plasmon resonance peaks in UV-Vis absorption spectra at approximately 430 and 530 nm, respectively. Various properties of the NPs were evaluated using characterization techniques, such as dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Phytochemicals in the seaweed extract, such as phlorotannins, acted as both reducing and stabilizing agents for the growth of the NPs. The green-synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs were found to exhibit high catalytic activity for the decomposition of organic dyes, including azo dyes, methylene blue, rhodamine B, and methyl orange.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.65-76
• /
• 2007

Values and attitude towards the environment begin to form in elementary school. Thus, environmental education is effective to promote children's sensibility on the environment, to increase their interest and concern on it, and to make them have friendly attitudes towards it. As a measure of such education, experiential learning activities are being emphasized, where children can see, feel and experience for themselves in a familiar environment surrounding them. Based on the results of this research, the following proposals can be made for environmental education necessary for elementary school children. i) the contents of environmental education should be selected and organized according to grades. Also, schedule should be secured to provide environmental education in certain time. ii) program should be developed to fit into local characteristics and academic level, providing connective and consistent environmental education. iii) activities for environmental education in elementary school can be effective only if connective guidances are provided among school, home and local community. iv) the recycling and separate collection activity program used in this research was limited to 3rd graders in small-size rural schools. Additional research may be necessary to see how long their attitudes last according to different grades.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.176-186
• /
• 2016

For several decades, lactic acid bacterium (Lactobacillus graminis: LAB) has been generally recognized as safe. To develop the pan-environmental bio-control agent, algicidal activity of the live LAB cell and its culture filtrate (CF) was examined against Microcystis aeruginosa. LAB cells perfectly lysed M. aeruginosa within 3 days, while the CF had a less effect than the live cells, approximately 78% inhibition of algal growth during a same culture period. The concentration of microcystin in alone culture of M. aeruginosa was $7.1{\mu}gL^{-1}$, but gradually increased and leach $158.5{\mu}gL^{-1}$ on 10 days. However, LAB cells clearly decreased the microcystin by $10.3{\mu}gL^{-1}$ in the same period, approximately 93.5%. CF of LAB showed a strong algicidal activity over 75% between pH 2-7, 91.3% by the treatment of proteinase K, 87.8% by below 3 kDa in particle size, and 75.3% by heat treatment, respectively. Of five solvents, fractions of CF passed through solvents diethyl ether and ethyl acetate showed an obvious algicidal activity in the algal-lawn test. Among 5 fractions purified by silica-gel TLC plate, two spots showed a most strong removal activity on M. aeruginosa. Another analysis of GC indicate that CF contained six representative fatty acids. Even though most of these substance have been known as an anti-algal substance against M. aeruginosa, oleic acid is the most effective. These results suggested that the culture filtrate or specific substances, like a fatty acids, in comparison with live L. graminis can be a successful and eco-friendly agent to control Microcystis bloom.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.248-253
• /
• 2009

Chitosan has an antifungal activity and is widely used for control of various plant disease and plants growth in the field in Korea. Disease control efficacy of two preparations (SH-1, SH-2) of mixtures of high and low (chitooligosaccharide) molecular weight chitosan compounds against tomato leaf mold caused by Fulvia fulva was investigated under plastic greenhouse conditions. Both SH-1 and SH-2 formulations displayed potent disease control activity in two experiments. The protective activity of both preparations was comparable to synthetic thiophanate-M. The persistence activity of the formulations was sustained until 21 days after application. Effective concentration of the chtosan compounds for disease control was 1,200 mg a.i./L. In pot tests, chitosan preparations, at a concentration of 600 mg a.i./L, promoted plants growth. These results indicate that the chitosan preparations have a potential as an eco-friendly natural fungicide for the control of tomato leaf mold and plant growth regulator.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 2013

An organic acid material, which can be manufactured by plants extraction, encourages microbe proliferation over time. Microbial activity, which is affected by organic acid, encourages accelerating consolidation with biochemical penetration; soil particles are compacted by microbes and pore water is dissipated quickly. Additionally, $CaCO_3$ for cementation was made by proliferating microbes. Accordingly, tests were conducted to investigate the unconfined compressive strength and permeability of soil samples aged with and without an organic acid. In the 96 days of aging, the strength was generally 1.5~2.5 times greater than those without an organic acid material and permeability was definitely decreased to 74.2~93.1%. SEM analysis showed the change of pore structure and the change of the total bacteria counts revealed the activity of microbes reflecting the engineering characteristics and this material would be an environment-friendly for soil improvement.

• Journal of Science Education
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.320-326
• /
• 2010

This study explored the current status of ecocentric environmental education in alternative schools. We analyzed the aims, curriculum, environmental activities of 42 alternative schools in Korea from their homepages and guidebooks. For more information, additional interviews with teachers were also conducted. As a resuts, the ratio of schools aiming ecologism were relatively low, however, 36 (85.7%) of 42 alternative schools included ecologism in their educational goals directly or indirectly. 39 schools included an environmental education in their curriculum, and 3 environmental class was opened in a week on the average. The most frequently used environmental activity in alternative schools was "recycling of solid wastes", and then "reducing use of disposable products", and "using environment-friendly, and recycled products" were followed. "Using water-purifier tank" and "using alternative energy" were also practiced. Educational implications of results were discussed.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.227-235
• /
• 2016

Plant disease caused by root-knot nematode is a major problem in crop production. Using of chemical pesticides, one of the most efficient methods to control nematodes, have raised issues in toxicity to humans and animals and environmental pollution. In this study, to select actinomycete strains that have potential to serve as a microbial agent for control of nematodes, we investigated nematicidal activity of culture broth from 670 Streptomyces isolates. A culture filtrate of KRA15-528 isolate that was identified as S. flavogriseus on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence analysis, showed strong nematicidal activity against second stage of juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita and inhibited egg hatching; exposure to 10% of culture filtrate resulted in 71% juvenile mortality at 48 hours afters treatment and suppressed egg hatching by 54% at 9 days after treatment. When the KRA15-528 culture filtrate was partitioned with ethyl acetate and butanol, ethyl acetate layer exclusively showed strong activity; 91%, 53%, 30% of mortality at 1,000, 500, $250{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Additionally, the culture filtrate suppressed gall formation on cucumber plant by M. incognita with no phytotoxicity. These results suggest that S. flavogriseus KRA15-528 has potential to serve as a microbial nematicide for the control of root-knot nematode disease.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.57-67
• /
• 2021

Photocatalytic green energy H2 production utilizing inexhaustible solar energy has been considered as a potential solution to problems of energy scarcity and environmental contamination. However, the design of a cost-effective photocatalyst using simple synthesis methodology is still a grand challenge. Herein, a low-cost transition metal, Cu-loaded one-dimensional TiO2 nanorods (Cu/TNR) were fabricated using an easy-to-use synthesis methodology for significant H2 production under simulated solar light. X-ray photoelectron spectral studies and electron microscopy measurements provide evidence to support the successful formation of the Cu/TNR catalyst under our experimental conditions. UV-vis DRS studies further demonstrate that introducing Cu on the surface of TNR substantially increases light absorption in the visible range. Notably, the Cu/TNR catalyst with optimum Cu content, achieved a remarkable H2 production with a yield of 39,239 µmol/g after 3 h of solar light illumination, representing 7.4- and 27.7-fold enhancements against TNR and commercial P25, respectively. The notably improved H2 evolution activity of the target Cu/TNR catalyst was primarily attributed to its excellent separation and efficiently hampered recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs. The Cu/TNR catalyst is, therefore, a potential candidate for photocatalytic green energy applications.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.20 no.7
• /
• pp.899-905
• /
• 2011

In order to develop bacterial cellulose (BC) with antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms, silver and chitosan were incorporated into BC, respectively. Experiment results showed that antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms was improved with increasing silver concentration. Chitosan also showed a direct proportion between its concentration and antimicrobial activity. These results suggest that antimicrobial effects of BC using silver and chitosan are well proven to be effective. We also tested the stainability of BC with natural colorant for the application of food industry. Stainability of BC was enhanced with increasing natural colorant concentration. Decolorization of BC stained was observed by dipping it into distilled water with one hour-intervals. As a result, there was no significant difference. Combination of natural colorant-stainability and antibiosis of BC is expected to be useful in making colored antibiotic BC in various industrial application areas, considering its antimicrobial activity, high stainability and low decolorization tendency.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.169-178
• /
• 2014

This review covers general information regarding the green synthesis of antibacterial silver nanoparticles. Owing to their antibacterial properties, silver nanoparticles are widely used in many areas, especially biomedical applications. In green synthesis practices, the chemical reducing agents are eliminated, and biological entities are utilized to convert silver ions to silver nanoparticles. Among the various biological entities, natural plant extracts have emerged as green reducing agents, providing eco-friendly routes for the preparation of silver nanomaterials. The most obvious merits of green synthesis are the increased biocompatibility of the resulting silver nanoparticles and the ease with which the reaction can be carried out. This review summarizes some of the plant extracts that are used to produce antibacterial silver nanoparticles. Additionally, background information regarding the green synthesis and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles is provided. Finally, the toxicological aspects of silver nanoparticles are briefly mentioned.