• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.163-177
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• 2006

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.545-548
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• 2001

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of metal is common in the natural environment and sulfate reducing bacteria are representative microorganisms for MIC. We found that biofilm fomlation by SRB on the metal surface might be controlled by quorum sensing, which is a cell density dependent regulation of cell metabolism. As cell free culture fluids (spent media) of Desulfovibrio vulgaris and D. desulfuricans were tested for quontrn sensing related test strains, it was found that spent media of two SRB induced increased luminescence of Vibrio harveyi BB886 (sensor 1+, sensor 2-) and BB170 (sensor 1-, sensor 2+). Quorum activities of D. vulgaris and D. desulfuricans appeared to be parallel to growth patterns, i.e., it was low in the lag phase, highly increased in the exponential phase, and reached maximum in the stationary phase. Interestingly, however, luminescence of V. harveyi BB886 and BB170 induced by a unit cell mass of the SHB showed a maximal peak in the late lag phase. Hence, it was suspected that quorum sensing of these two SHB play unknown roles in shifting cells from dormant to growth stages.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 2005

Green tea and their major constituents such as catechins are famous materials for their anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic activity, but many compounds with reducing power can promote the oxidation in their oxidized form or in the presence of metal ion. We investigated the pro-oxidative effect of the ethanol extract equivalent up to 30mg of dried weight of green tea leaves in four in vitro systems which could be used for detecting DNA damage. Although ethanol extract of green tea did not show significant mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA102, which is sensitive strain to oxidative stress, it degraded deoxyribose extensively in the presence of $FeCl_3-EDTA$ complex, promoted 8-oxoguanine formation in the live bacteria cell, Salmonella typhimurium TAI04, and cleaved super coiled DNA strand with the help of copper ion. It suggested that green tea, famous anti-oxidative material, can be pro-oxidant according to the condition of extraction or metal existence.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.547-554
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• 2012

Chromium is generated from several industrial processes. It occurs in different oxidation states, but Cr(III) and Cr(VI) are the most common ones. Cr(VI) is a toxic, soluble environmental contaminant. Some bacteria are able to reduce hexavalent chromium to the insoluble and less toxic Cr(III), and thus chromate bioremediation is of considerable interest. An indigenous chromium-reducing bacterial strain, Rb-2, isolated from a tannery water sample, was identified as Ochrobactrum intermedium, on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The influence of factors like temperature of incubation, initial concentration of Cr, mobility of bacteria, and different carbon sources were studied to test the ability of the bacterium to reduce Cr(VI) under variable environmental conditions. The ability of the bacterial strain to reduce hexavalent chromium in artificial and industrial sewage water was evaluated. It was observed that the mechanism of resistance to metal was not due to the change in the permeability barrier of the cell membrane, and the enzyme activity was found to be inductive. Intracellular reduction of Cr(VI) was proven by reductase assay using cell-free extract. Scanning electron microscopy revealed chromium precipitates on bacterial cell surfaces, and transmission electron microscopy showed the outer as well as inner distribution of Cr(VI). This bacterial strain can be useful for Cr(VI) detoxification under a wide range of environmental conditions.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.114-118
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• 2015

In this study, we have developed a microbe-carrier that combined Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and zeolite for removal of Zn and As in contaminated seawater. Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, one of the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) microorganism was exhibited stable growth characteristics in highly salted water and strong resistance to Zn and As contaminated seawater. Moreover, zeolites are one of the most useful carrier to remove heavy metals from wastewaters. The results showed that SRB immobilized zeolite carrier can enhance removal ratio of Zn and As. In addition, heavy metals tended to be better removed in medium at conditions of $37^{\circ}C$. In case of heavy metal concentration, they were effectively removed ranging from 50 to 100 ppm. These results show that SRB-zeolite carriers hold great potential to remove cationic heavy metal species from industrial wastewater in marine environment.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.16-24
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• 2014

To test the potential effects of extracellular electron shuttles (EES) on the rate and extent of heavy metal release from contaminated soils during microbial iron reduction, we created anaerobic batch systems with anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) as a surrogate of EES, and with contaminated soils as mixed iron (hydr)oxides and microbial sources. Two types of soils were tested: Zn-contaminated soil A and As/Pb-contaminated soil B. In soil A, the rate of iron reduction was fastest in the presence of AQDS and > 3500 mg/L of total Fe(II) was produced within 2 d. This suggests that indigenous microorganisms can utilize AQDS as EES to stimulate iron reduction. In the incubations with soil B, the rate and extent of iron reduction did not increase in the presence of AQDS likely because of the low pH (< 5.5). In addition, less than 2000 mg/L of total Fe(II) was produced in soil B within 52 d suggesting that iron reduction by subsurface microorganisms in soil B was not as effective as that in soil A. Relatively high amount of As (~500 mg/L) was released to the aqueous phase during microbial iron reduction in soil B. The release of As might be due to the reduction of As-associated iron (hydr)oxides and/or direct enzymatic reduction of As(V) to As(III) by As-reducing microorganisms. However, given that Pb in liquid phase was < 0.3 mg/L for the entire experiment, the microbial reduction As(V) to As(III) by As-reducing microorganisms has most likely occurred in this system. This study suggests that heavy metal release from contaminated soils can be strongly controlled by subsurface microorganisms, soil pH, presence of EES, and/or nature of heavy metals.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 2023

In the environment, chromium often exists in a highly mobile and toxic form of Cr(VI). Therefore, the reduction of Cr(VI) to less toxic Cr(III) is considered an effective remediation strategy for Cr(VI)-contamination. In this study, the biological reduction of hexavalent chromium was examined at the concentrations of 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM, and 1 mM Cr(VI) by the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium, Shewanella sp. HN-41 in the presence of ferric-citrate. With the relatively condensed cell densities, the aqueous phase Cr(VI) was reduced at the proportions of 42%, 23%, and 31%, respectively for the 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM, and 1 mM Cr(VI) incubations, while Fe(III)-citrate was reduced at 95%, 88%, and 73%, respectively. Although the strain HN-41 was not considered to reduce Cr(VI) as the sole electron acceptor for anaerobic metabolism in the preliminary experiment, it has been presumed that outer-membrane c-type cytochromes such as MtrC and OmcA reduced Cr(VI) in the presence of ferric-citrate as the electron acceptor. Since this study indicated the potential of relatively high cell density for Cr(VI) reduction, it might propose a bioremediation strategy for Cr(VI) removal from contaminated waters using engineered systems such as bioreactors employing high cell growths.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.445-455
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• 2009

Microbiological sulfate reduction is the transformation of sulfate to sulfide catalyzed by the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria using sulfate as an electron acceptor. Low solubility of metal sulfides leads to precipitation of the sulfides in solution. The effects of microbiological sulfate reduction on in-situ precipitation of arsenic and copper were investigated for the heavy metal-contaminated soil around the Songcheon Au-Ag mine site. Total concentrations of As, Cu, and Pb were 1,311 mg/kg, 146 mg/kg, and 294 mg/kg, respectively, after aqua regia digestion. In batch-type experiments, indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria rapidly decreased sulfate concentration and redox potential and led to substantial removal of dissolved As and Cu from solution. Optimal concentrations of carbon source and sulfate for effective microbial sulfate reduction were 0.2~0.5% (w/v) and 100~200 mg/L, respectively. More than 98% of injected As and Cu were removed in the effluents from both microbial and chemical columns designed for metal sulfides to be precipitated. However, after the injection of oxygen-rich solution, the microbial column showed the enhanced long-term stability of in-situ precipitated metals when compared with the chemical column which showed immediate increase in dissolved As and Cu due to oxidative dissolution of the sulfides. Black precipitates formed in the microbial column during the experiments and were identified as iron sulfide and copper sulfide. Arsenic was observed to be adsorbed on surface of iron sulfide precipitate.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.575-585
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• 2007

Microbial control of the geochemical behavior of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) and As in contaminated subsurface soil and sediment was investigated through activation of indigenous bacteria with lactate under anaerobic condition for 25 days. The results indicated that dissolved Cd, Pb and Zn were microbially removed from solutions, which was likely due to the formation of metal sulfides after reduction of sulfate by indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria. Soils from the Dukeum mine containing a large amount of sulfate resulted in complete removal of dissolved As after 25 days by microbial activities, while there were gradual increases in dissolved As concentration in soils from the Hwabuk mine and sediments from the Dongducheon industrial area which showed low $SO_4{^2-}$ concentrations. Addition of appropriate carbon sources and sulfate to contaminated geological media may lead to activation of indigenous bacteria and thus in situ stabilization of the heavy metals; however, potential of As release into solution after the amendment should be preferentially investigated.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.86-90
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• 2002

Cooling water sampled at Pohang Steel Company, Korea, was used to study the effect of biocide (NaOCl) on biofilm formation and metal corrosion. Planktonic microorganisms were killed in the presence of biocide (0.2％ NaOCl) within 1.5 h, but not sessile microorganisms in biofilms even after one week. Black color of biofilms, possibly due to the activity of sulfate reducing bacteria, were made with the natural cooling waters, while orange color of biofilms were formed when cooling waters were autoclaved or when 0.2％ NaOCl was added to the natural cooling waters. Microbially influenced corrosion rate in black color of biofilms was 2.3 fold higher than that in orange color of biofilms.