• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.259-268
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• 2019

In this study, the extracellular metalloprotease from Serratia marcescens PPB-26 was purified to homogeneity via ethanol fractionation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Thus, a 3.8-fold purification was achieved with a 20% yield and specific activity of 76.2 U/mg. The purified protease was a 50-kDa monomer whose optimum pH and temperature for activity were 7.5 and $30^{\circ}C$ respectively; however, it was found to remain active in the 5-9 pH range and up to $40^{\circ}C$ for 6 h. The protease had a half-life of 15 days at $4^{\circ}C$, an optimum reaction time of 10 min, and an optimum substrate (casein) concentration of 0.25%. Furthermore, the Michaelis constant ($K_m$) and reaction velocity ($V_{max}$) of the protease were calculated to be 0.28% and $111.11{\mu}moles/(min{\cdot}mg)^{-1}$, respectively. The protease was stable when subjected to metal ions (2 mM), showing increased activity with most (especially $CoCl_2$ and $MgSO_4$ (30.54% increase)). It was also stable when exposed to oxidizing agents, bleaching agents, and detergents (5% v/v for 60 min). It retained 93% of its activity in non-ionic detergents (Tween-20, Tween-80, and Triton X-100). Moreover, wash performance analysis in commercial detergents (Ariel and Tide) showed that not only was the protease capable of protein stain removal, but also reduced cleaning time by 80% when added to detergents. Thus, the Serratia marcescens PPB-26 metalloprotease appears to be a promising new candidate as a laundry additive in the detergent industry.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1095-1104
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• 2018

The adsorption characteristics of bisphenol A (BPA) were investigated using activated carbon based on waste citrus peel (which is abandoned in large quantities in Jeju Island), denoted as WCP-AC, and surface-modified with various $P_2O_5$ concentrations (WCP-SM-AC). Moreover, coconut-based activated carbon (which is marketed in large amounts) was surface-modified in an identical manner for comparison. The adsorption equilibrium of BPA using the activated carbons before and after surface modification was obtained at nearly 48 h. The adsorption process of BPA by activated carbons and surface-modified activated carbons was well-described by the pseudo second-order kinetic model. The experimental data in the adsorption isotherm followed the Langmuir isotherm model. With increasing $P_2O_5$ concentration (250-2,000 mg/L), the amounts of BPA adsorbed by WCP-SM-AC increased till 1,000 mg/L of $P_2O_5$; however, above 1,000 mg/L of $P_2O_5$, the same amounts adsorbed at 1,000 mg/L of $P_2O_5$ were obtained. With increasing reaction temperature, the reaction rate increased, but the adsorbed amounts decreased, especially for the activated carbon before surface modification. The amounts of BPA adsorbed by WCP-AC and WCP-SM-AC were similar in the pH range of 5-9, but significantly decreased at pH 11, and increased with increasing ionic strength due to screening and salting-out effects.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2022

In the process of long-term use of PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells), chemical degradation of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) occurs due to corrosion of stack elements and contamination of supply gas. In this study, we investigated whether chemically degraded MEA can be recovered by acid washing. The performance was measured and compared in a PEMFC cell after contamination with iron ions and washing with an aqueous sulfuric acid solution. The performance was reduced by about 25% by 0.5 ppm iron ion contamination, and 97.1% performance recovery was possible by washing of 0.15 M sulfuric acid. The membrane resistance was increased due to iron ion contamination of the polymer membrane, and the ionic conductivity was restored by washing the iron ions from the membrane while minimizing the loss of the electrode catalyst by washing with a low-concentration sulfuric acid aqueous solution. The possibility of solving the decrease in durability caused by chemical contamination of PEMFC MEA by the acid washing was confirmed.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.78-89
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• 2022

ANODE-free Li-metal batteries (AFLMBs) operating with Li of cathode material have attracted enormous attention due to their exceptional energy density originating from anode-free structure in the confined cell volume. However, uncontrolled dendritic growth of lithium on a copper current collector can limit its practical application as it causes fatal issues for stable cycling such as dead Li formation, unstable solid electrolyte interphase, electrolyte exhaustion, and internal short-circuit. To overcome this limitation, here, we report a novel dual-salt electrolyte comprising of 0.2 M LiPF₆ + 3.8 M lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide in a carbonate/ester co-solvent with 5 wt% fluoroethylene carbonate, 2 wt% vinylene carbonate, and 0.2 wt% LiNO₃ additives. Because the dual-salt electrolyte facilitates uniform/dense Li deposition on the current collector and can form robust/ionic conductive LiF-based SEI layer on the deposited Li, a Li/Li symmetrical cell exhibits improved cycling performance and low polarization for over 200 h operation. Furthermore, the anode-free LiFePO₄/Cu cells in the carbonate electrolyte shows significantly enhanced cycling stability compared to the counterparts consisting of different salt ratios. This study shows an importance of electrolyte design guiding uniform Li deposition and forming stable SEI layer for AFLMBs.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.442-448
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• 2021

Seawater desalination is a technology through which salt and other constituents are removed from seawater to produce fresh water. While a significant amount of fresh water is produced, the desalination process is limited by the generation of concentrated brine with a higher salinity than seawater; this imposes environmental and economic problems. In this study, characteristics of seawater from three different locations in South Korea were analyzed to evaluate the feasibility of crystallization to seawater desalination. Organic and inorganic substances participating in crystal formation during concentration were identified. Then, prediction and economic feasibility analysis were conducted on the actual water flux and obtainable salt resources (i.e. Na2SO4) using membrane distillation and energy-saving crystallizer based on multi-stage flash (MSF-Cr). The seawater showed a rather low salinity (29.9~34.4 g/L) and different composition ratios depending on the location. At high concentrations, it was possible to observe the participation of dissolved organic matter and various ionic substances in crystalization. When crystallized, materials capable of forming various crystals are expected. However, it seems that different salt concentrations should be considered for each location. When the model developed using the Aspen Plus modular was applied in Korean seawater conditions, relatively high economic feasibility was confirmed in the MSF-Cr. The results of this study will help solve the environmental and economic problems of concentrated brine from seawater desalination.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.207-231
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• 1997

The use household water purifier is continuously increasing due to the distrust of the piped, rap water, which may be caused by the deterioration of water quality and water supply facilities in Korea. The water purifier distributing in the domestic market is the membrane type that composes of membrane as a basic filter, sediment filter as a prefilter and activated carbon filter instead of one purifying water system. The membrane type using as a water cleaning system is mainly the method of micro filtration(NIF) as well as ultra filtration(UF) and reverse osmosis(RO). The types of MF and UF are using to remove suspended solids and virus, and RO is using to remove ionic compound in chemical organic compounds. At the beginning the household water purifier was imported as end-product or assembled by only importing module from small businesses in Korea. Therefore, people was hard to confide in the product quality because the sales policy and management of water purifier by small business were not effectively organized. However, the defects of water purifier having up to now ate improving by the efforts of special branches of water purifier and large enterprises, and new great products are developing and producing. To develop the best quality product of water purifier in Korea, it should be considered seasonal water characteristrics rather than any other condition. For example, the water purifier can be affected by the water temperature change, increase of suspended solids in the rainy season and inflow of raw water having concentration in a dry season. The subject we have to investigate in the future is to develop the water purifying system adaptable in Korea which can treat the water quality using close analyses of local and seasonal water characteristics.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1.1-1.11
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• 2022

Background: The poor bioadhesion capacity of tilmicosin resulting in treatment failure for Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants (SASCVs) mastitis. Objectives: This study aimed to increase the bioadhesion capacity of tilmicosin for the SASCVs strain and improve the antibacterial effect of tilmicosin against cow mastitis caused by the SASCVs strain. Methods: Tilmicosin-loaded chitosan oligosaccharide (COS)-sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) composite nanogels were formulated by an electrostatic interaction between COS (positive charge) and CMC (negative charge) using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) (ionic crosslinkers). The formation mechanism, structural characteristics, bioadhesion, and antibacterial activity of tilmicosin composite nanogels were studied systematically. Results: The optimized formulation was comprised of 50 mg/mL (COS), 32 mg/mL (CMC), and 0.25 mg/mL (TPP). The size, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of the optimized tilmicosin composite nanogels were 357.4 ± 2.6 nm, 65.4 ± 0.4%, 21.9 ± 0.4%, 0.11 ± 0.01, and -37.1 ± 0.4 mV, respectively; the sedimentation rate was one. Scanning electron microscopy showed that tilmicosin might be incorporated in nano-sized crosslinked polymeric networks. Moreover, adhesive studies suggested that tilmicosin composite nanogels could enhance the bioadhesion capacity of tilmicosin for the SASCVs strain. The inhibition zone of native tilmicosin, tilmicosin standard, and tilmicosin composite nanogels were 2.13 ± 0.07, 3.35 ± 0.11, and 1.46 ± 0.04 cm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration of native tilmicosin, tilmicosin standard, and tilmicosin composite nanogels against the SASCVs strain were 2, 1, and 1 ㎍/mL, respectively. The in vitro time-killing curves showed that the tilmicosin composite nanogels increased the antibacterial activity against the SASCVs strain. Conclusions: This study provides a potential strategy for developing tilmicosin composite nanogels to treat cow mastitis caused by the SASCVs strain.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.593-600
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• 2024

The nanoemulgel was prepared to induce a synergistic effect along with higher efficacy. Nine sets of macroemulsion were made in which liquid paraffin was stabilized by the two non-ionic surfactants, Tween® 80 and Span® 80. Comparative stability analysis of the macroemulsions was used to determine the effective surfactant concentrations that gave the most stable systems (NE 2, NE3, NE4, NE5). High-speed homogenization was then applied. The final formulation was evaluated for globule size and polydispersablity index, physical properties (color, homogeneity, consistency, syneresis), pH, viscosity, spreadability with 200 g and 500 g weight, conductivity, drug content, stability, skin irritation, antifungal efficacy. Zeta size analysis confirmed the nanosize of the droplets in NE2 (284.8 nm), NE3 (79.89 nm), NE4 (194 nm) but not NE5 (632.8 nm), which was outside the nanoemulsion range. The antifungal assay exhibited zone of inhibition for NE3 (43±1.0 mm) and NE4 (42±1.7 mm), a marketed cream (33±1 mm), fluconazole alone (35±1 mm) and terbinafine alone (35.0±1.7 mm). The zone of inhibition of nanoemulgels increased compared with the drugs when used individually and when compared a placebo.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1114-1119
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• 2012

This study was conducted to assess the microbial toxicity of ionic silver solution ($Ag^+N$) and silver nanoparticle suspension ($Ag^0NP$) based on the Microtox bioassay. In this test, the light inhibition of luminescent bacteria was measured after 15 and 30 min exposure to aqueous solutions and soils spiked with a dilution series of $Ag^+N$ and $Ag^0NP$. The resulting dose-response curves were used to derive effective concentration (EC25, $EC_{50}$, EC75) and effective dose ($ED_{25}$, $ED_{50}$, $ED_{75}$) that caused a 25, 50 and 75% inhibition of luminescence. In aqueous solutions, $EC_{50}$ value of $Ag^+N$ after 15 min exposure was determined to be < $2mg\;L^{-1}$ and remarkably lower than $EC_{50}$ value of $Ag^0NP$ with $251mg\;L^{-1}$. This revealed that $Ag^+N$ was more toxic to luminescent bacteria than $Ag^0NP$. In soil extracts, however, $ED_{50}$ value of $Ag^+N$ with 196 mg kg-1 was higher than $ED_{50}$ value of $Ag^0NP$ with $104mg\;kg^{-1}$, indicating less toxicity of $Ag^+N$ in soils. The reduced toxicity of $Ag^+N$ in soils can be attributed to a partial adsorption of ionic $Ag^+$ on soil colloids and humic acid as well as a partial formation of insoluble AgCl with NaCl of Microtox diluent. This resulted in lower concentration of active Ag in soil extracts obtained after 1 hour shaking with $Ag^+N$ than that spiked with $Ag^0NP$. With longer exposure time, EC and ED values of both $Ag^+N$ and $Ag^0NP$ decreased, so their toxicity increased. The toxic characteristics of silver nanomaterials were different depending on existing form of Ag ($Ag^+$, $Ag^0$), reaction medium (aqueous solution, soil), and exposure time.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 2002

The sorption of Cd$^{2+}$ on calcite was studied in aqueous solutions of several electrolytes. The Cd$^{2+}$ concentration, 10$^{-8}$ M, was kept well below saturation with respect to CdCO$_3$(s). Sorption behavior of Cd$^{2+}$ in different ionic strengths of NaClO$_4$solutions shows that sorption is independent of ionic strength. This result suggests that Cd$^{2+}$ sorption on calcite surface is of a specific nature, and adsorption is controlled by an inner-sphere type of surface complex. Two stages in the sorption behavior could be identified: an initial rapid uptake, followed by slower uptake reaching a maximum steady state by 145 hrs. No evidence was observed for surface precipitation, although it can not be entirely ruled out. Desorption of Cd$^{2+}$ from the calcite surface after resuspension into Cd-free solution is initially very rapid, but depends partly on the previous sorption history. Desorption behavior of Cd$^{2+}$ show that an initial rapid desorption followed either by slow uptake reaching a maximum, as in the adsorption experiments, or slowing desorption to reach a steady state minimum. This irreversible behavior of Cd$^{2+}$ sorption and desorption may act as one of the controls for regulating the mobility of dissolved Cd$^{2+}$ natural aqueous systems. Calculated adsorption partition coefficients suggest that overall sorption and desorption process in the concentration range are controlled by d single mechanism.ingle mechanism.