• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2023

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is one of the promising methods for hydrogen production by solar energy. Iron oxide has been effectively investigated as a photoelectrode material for PEC water splitting due to its intrinsic property such as short minority carrier diffusion length. However, iron oxide has a low PEC efficiency owing to a high recombination rate between photoexcited electrons and holes. In this study, we synthesized nanoporous structured iron oxide by anodization to overcome the drawbacks and to increase surface area. The anodized iron oxide was annealed in Ar atmosphere with different purging times. In conclusion, the highest current density of 0.032 mA/cm² at 1.23 V vs. RHE was obtained with 60 s of pursing for iron oxide(Fe-60), which was 3 times higher in photocurrent density compared to iron oxide annealed with 600 s of pursing(Fe-600). The resistances and donor densities were also evaluated for all the anodized iron oxide by electrochemical impedance spectra and Mott-Schottky plot analysis.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2024

Cadmium (Cd) is non-essential heavy metal that negatively affects plant metabolism. Nitric oxide (NO) is an increasingly important molecule for plant metabolism that makes signaling. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the alleviating effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) application as NO donor in white poplar (Populus alba) under Cd stress conditions. SNP and without SNP treatments increased the Cd accumulation in root tissue. While photosynthetic pigments (Chl a, Chl b, Chl a+b, and carotenoid) content decreased by only Cd application, SNP+Cd application decreased the rate of photosynthetic pigments reduction. When the results of Cd and Cd+SNP applications were evaluated for mineral (Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu) uptake, it was found that the positive effect of SNP was heterogeneously affected. Depending on SNP application, it was found that malondialdehyde (MDA) amount decreased in leaf in 100 µM Cd applications while hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) amount decreased in 100 and 500 µM Cd applications. When antioxidant enzyme activities were examined, it was found that catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzyme activities increased with 100 µM SNP applications under all Cd applications. As a result, it was found that SNP application under Cd stress generally supports physiological processes positively in white poplar, suggesting that NO molecule plays important alleviating roles in plant metabolism.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.145-156
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• 2018

Most eukaryotic peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are readily inactivated by a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) during catalysis owing to their "GGLG" and "YF" motifs. However, such oxidative stress sensitive motifs were not found in the previously identified filamentous fungal Prxs. Additionally, the information on filamentous fungal Prxs is limited and fragmentary. Herein, we cloned and gained insight into Aspergillus nidulans Prx (An.PrxA) in the aspects of protein properties, catalysis characteristics, and especially $H_2O_2$ tolerability. Our results indicated that An.PrxA belongs to the newly defined family of typical 2-Cys Prxs with a marked characteristic that the "resolving" cysteine ($C_R$) is invertedly located preceding the "peroxidatic" cysteine ($C_P$) in amino acid sequences. The inverted arrangement of $C_R$ and $C_P$ can only be found among some yeast, bacterial, and filamentous fungal deduced Prxs. The most surprising characteristic of An.PrxA is its extraordinary ability to resist inactivation by extremely high concentrations of $H_2O_2$, even that approaching 600 mM. By screening the $H_2O_2$-inactivation effects on the components of Prx systems, including Trx, Trx reductase (TrxR), and Prx, we ultimately determined that it is the robust filamentous fungal TrxR rather than Trx and Prx that is responsible for the extreme $H_2O_2$ tolerence of the An.PrxA system. This is the first investigation on the effect of the electron donor partner in the $H_2O_2$ tolerability of the Prx system.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.386-396
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• 2013

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in tomato plants by Ralstonia solanacearum infection and the role of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and nitric oxide in tomato bacterial wilt control were demonstrated. During disease development of tomato bacterial wilt, accumulation of superoxide anion ($O_2{^-}$) and $H_2O_2$ was observed and lipid peroxidation also occurred in the tomato leaf tissues. High doses of $H_2O_2$ and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) nitric oxide donor showed phytotoxicity to detached tomato leaves 1 day after petiole feeding showing reduced fresh weight. Both $H_2O_2$ and SNP have in vitro antibacterial activities against R. solanacearum in a dose-dependent manner, as well as plant protection in detached tomato leaves against bacterial wilt by $10^6$ and $10^7$ cfu/ml of R. solanacearum. $H_2O_2$- and SNP-mediated protection was also evaluated in pots using soil-drench treatment with the bacterial inoculation, and relative 'area under the disease progressive curve (AUDPC)' was calculated to compare disease protection by $H_2O_2$ and/or SNP with untreated control. Neither $H_2O_2$ nor SNP protect the tomato seedlings from the bacterial wilt, but $H_2O_2$ + SNP mixture significantly decreased disease severity with reduced relative AUDPC. These results suggest that $H_2O_2$ and SNP could be used together to control bacterial wilt in tomato plants as bactericidal agents.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.61 no.6
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• pp.328-338
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• 2017

The density functional theory(DFT) and ab initio calculations have been applied to investigate hydrogen interaction of $H_2O_3(H_2O)_n$ clusters(n=1-5). The structures, IR spectra, and H-bonding energies are calculated at various levels of theory. The $trans-H_2O_3$ monomer is predicted to be thermodynamically more stable than cis form at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory. For clusters, the geometries are optimized at the MP2/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The binding energy of $H_2O_3-H_2O$ cluster is predicted to be -6.39 kcal/mol at the CCSD(T)//MP2/cc-pVTZ level of theory after zero-point vibrational energy (ZPVE) and basis set superposition error (BSSE) correction. This result implies that $H_2O_3$ is a stronger proton donor(acid) than either $H_2O$ or $H_2O_2$. The average binding energies per $H_2O$ are predicted to be 8.25 kcal/mol for n=2, 7.22 kcal/mol for n=3, 8.50 kcal/mol for n=4, and 8.16 kcal/mol for n=5.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1265-1276
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• 1998

Background : Nitric oxide(NO) is an endogenously produced free radical that plays an important role in regulating vascular tone, inhibition of platelet aggregation and white blood cell adhesion to endothelial cells, and host defense against infection. The highly reactive nature of NO with oxygen radicals suggests that it may either promote or reduce oxidant-induced cell injury in several biological pathways. Oxidant injury and interactions between pulmonary vascular endothelium and leukocytes are important in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury, including acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). In ARDS, therapeutic administration of NO is a clinical condition providing exogenous NO in oxidant-induced endothelial injury. The role of exogenous NO from NO donor or the suppression of endogenous NO production was evaluated in oxidant-induced endothelial injury. Method : The oxidant injury in cultured rat lung microvascular endothelial cells(RLMVC) was induced by hydrogen peroxide generated from glucose oxidase(GO). Cell injury was evaluated by $^{51}$chromium($^{51}Cr$) release technique. NO donor, such as S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine(SNAP) or sodium nitroprusside(SNP), was added to the endothelial cells as a source of exogenous NO. Endogenous production of NO was suppressed with N-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) which is an NO synthase inhibitor. L-NMMA was also used in increased endogenous NO production induced by combined stimulation with interferon-$\gamma$(INF-$\gamma$), tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$(TNF-$\alpha$), and lipopolysaccharide(LPS). NO generation from NO donor or from the endothelial cells was evaluated by measuring nitrite concentration. Result : $^{51}Cr$ release was $8.7{\pm}0.5%$ in GO 5 mU/ml, $14.4{\pm}2.9%$ in GO 10 mU/ml, $32.3{\pm}2.9%$ in GO 15 mU/ml, $55.5{\pm}0.3%$ in GO 20 mU/ml and $67.8{\pm}0.9%$ in GO 30 mU/ml ; it was significantly increased in GO 15 mU/ml or higher concentrations when compared with $9.6{\pm}0.7%$ in control(p < 0.05; n=6). L-NMMA(0.5 mM) did not affect the $^{51}Cr$ release by GO. Nitrite concentration was increased to $3.9{\pm}0.3\;{\mu}M$ in culture media of RLMVC treated with INF-$\gamma$ (500 U/ml), TNF-$\alpha$(150 U/ml) and LPS($1\;{\mu}g/ml$) for 24 hours ; it was significantly suppressed by the addition of L-NMMA. The presence of L-NMMA did not affect $^{51}Cr$ release induced by GO in RLMVC pretreated with INF-$\gamma$, TNF-$\alpha$ and LPS. The increase of $^{51}Cr$ release with GO(20 mU/ml) was prevented completely by adding 100 ${\mu}M$ SNAP. But the add of SNP, potassium ferrocyanate or potassium ferricyanate did not protect the oxidant injury. Nitrite accumulation was $23{\pm}1.0\;{\mu}M$ from 100 ${\mu}M$ SNAP at 4 hours in phenol red free Hanks' balanced salt solution. But nitrite was not detectable from SNP upto 1 mM The presence of SNAP did not affect the time dependent generation of hydrogen peroxide by GO in phenol red free Hanks' balanced salt solution. Conclusion : Hydrogen peroxide generated by GO causes oxidant injury in RLMVC. Exogenous NO from NO donor prevents oxidant injury, and the protective effect may be related to the ability to release NO. These results suggest that the exogenous NO may be protective on oxidant injury to the endothelium.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.68-76
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• 2006

Anaerobic reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) to ethylene was investigated by performing laboratory experiments using semi-continuous flow two-in-series soil columns. The columns were packed with soils obtained from TCE-contaminated site in Korea. Site ground water containing lactate (as electron donor and/or carbon source) and PCE was pumped into the soil columns. During the first operation with a period of 50 days, injected mass ratio of lactate and PCE was 620:1 and incomplete reductive dechlorination of PCE to cis-DCE was observed in the columns. However, complete dechlorination of PCE to ethylene was observed when the mass ratio increased to 5,050:1 in the second operation, suggesting that the electron donor might be limited during the first operation period. Dechlorination rate of PCE to cis-DCE was $0.62{\sim}1.94\;{\mu}mol$ PCE/L pore volume/d and $2.76\;{\mu}mol$ cis-DCE/ L pore volume/d for that for cis-DCE to ethylene, resulting that net dechlorination rate in the system was 1.43 umol PCE/L pore volume/d. During the degradation of cis-DCE to ethylene, the concentration of hydrogen in column groundwater was $22{\sim}29\;mM$ and $10{\sim}64\;mM$ for the degradation of PCE to cis-DCE. These positive results indicate that the TCE-contaminated groundwater investigated in this study could be remediated through in-situ biological anaerobic reductive dechlorination processes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2016.11a
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• pp.59-75
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• 2016

Reduced or black $TiO_{2-x}$ materials with oxygen-deficiency have been achieved by creating oxygen vacancies and/or defects at the surface using different methods. Fascinatingly, they exhibited an extended absorption in VIS and IR instead of only UV light with bandgap decrease from 3.2 (anatase) to ~1 eV. However, despite the dramatic enhancement of optical absorption in black $TiO_{2-x}$ materials, they have failed to show expected visible light-assisted water splitting efficiency. This was ascribed to the high concentration of the surface defects and/or oxygen vacancies, considered as an electron donor to enhance donor density and improve the charge transportation in black $TiO_2$ can also act as charge recombination centers, which eventually decrease photocatalytic activity. Therefore, a black ot reducd $TiO_2$ material with optimized properties would be highly desired for visible light photocatalysis. In this report, a new controlled magnesiothermic reduction has been developed to synthesize reduced black $TiO_{2-x}$ in the presence $H_2/Ar$ for photocatalytic $H_2$ production from methanol-water system. The material possesses an optimum band gap and band position, oxygen vacancies, and surface defects and shows significantly improved optical absorption in the visible and infrared region. The synergistic effects enable the reduced $TiO_{2-x}$ material to show an excellent hydrogen production ability along with long-term stability under the full solar wavelength range of light and visible light, respectively, in the methanol-water system in the presence of Pt as a co-catalyst. These values are superior to those of previously reported black $TiO_2$ materials. On the basis of all the results, it can be realized that the outstanding activity and stability of the reduced of $TiO_{2-x}$ NPs suggest that a balanced combination of different factors like $Ti^{3+}$, surface defects, oxygen vacancy, and recombination center is achieved along with optimized bandgap and band position during the preparation employing magnesiothermic reduction in the presence of $H_2$. The controlled magnesiothermic reduction in the presence of $H_2$ is one of the best alternative ways to produce active and stable $TiO_2-based$ photocatalyst for $H_2$ production.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.339-346
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• 2008

Single-crystal $ZnIn_2S_4$ layers were grown on a thoroughly etched semi-insulating GaAs (100) substrate at $450^{\circ}C$ with a hot wall epitaxy (HWE) system by evaporating a $ZnIn_2S_4$ source at $610^{\circ}C$. The crystalline structures of the single-crystal thin films were investigated via the photoluminescence (PL) and Double-crystal X-ray rocking curve (DCRC). The temperature dependence of the energy band gap of the $ZnIn_2S_4$ obtained from the absorption spectra was well described by Varshni's relationship, $E_g(T)=2.9514\;eV-(7.24{\times}10^{-4}\;eV/K)T2/(T＋489K)$. After the as-grown $ZnIn_2S_4$ single-crystal thin films was annealed in Zn-, S-, and In-atmospheres, the origin-of-point defects of the $ZnIn_2S_4$ single-crystal thin films were investigated via the photoluminescence (PL) at 10 K. The native defects of $V_{Zn}$, $V_S$, $Zn_{int}$, and $S_{int}$ obtained from the PL measurements were classified as donor or acceptor types. Additionally, it was concluded that a heat treatment in an S-atmosphere converted $ZnIn_2S_4$ single crystal thin films into optical p-type films. Moreover, it was confirmed that In in $ZnIn_2S_4$/GaAs did not form a native defects, as In in $ZnIn_2S_4$ single-crystal thin films existed in the form of stable bonds.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.279-287
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• 1986

The changes in peroxidase activity and its isozyme pattern in the different parts of mung bean sprout were investigated; The enzyme activity in cotyledon and root showed a tendency to increase at an early stage and then decreased gradually as germination continued. However, the crude homogenate of epicotyl and hypocotyl showed a continuous decline in the enzyme activity. In particular, the enzyme activity of the root was $1.5{\sim}3.5$ times higher than that of other parts. Gel electrophoresis of the crude homogenate revealed that the number of isozyme in every part of the mung bean sprout increase during germination up to 6th days. Two isozymes from root were partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration by Sephadex G-75 and DEAE cellulose column chromatography. One of the isozymes (A) was purified 16-fold by the present procedure, but the purity of the other isosyme (B) was not increased , significantly. Isozyme A was the most active at $65^{\circ}C$ and isozyme B at $70^{\circ}C$, while both isozyme (A, B) have a optimal pH of 5.6. The Km values of isozyme A and B for 0-dianisidine as a hydrogen donor determined to be 0.071 mM and 0.052mM, respectively, and those for isozyme A and B using $H_2O_2$ as a hydrogen acceptor were 0.28mM and 0.23mM, respectively.