• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.952-961
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• 2019

Chlorella spp. are green algae that are found across wide-ranging habitats from deserts to arctic regions, with various strains having adapted to survive under diverse environmental conditions. In this study, two novel Chlorella strains (ABC-002, ABC-008) were isolated from a freshwater lake in South Korea during the winter season and examined for possible use in the biofuel production process. The comparison of ABC-002 and ABC-008 strains with Chlorella vulgaris UTEX265 under two different temperatures ($10^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$) revealed their cold-tolerant phenotypes as well as high biomass yields. The maximum quantum yields of UTEX25, ABC-002, and ABC-008 at $10^{\circ}C$ were 0.5594, 0.6747, and 0.7150, respectively, providing evidence of the relatively higher cold-resistance capabilities of these two strains. Furthermore, both the biomass yields and lipid content of the two novel strains were found to be higher than those of UTEX265; the overall lipid productivities of ABC-002 and ABC-008 were 1.7 ~ 2.8 fold and 1.6 ~ 4.2 fold higher compared to that of UTEX265, respectively. Thus, the high biomass and lipid productivity over a wide range of temperatures indicate that C. vulgaris ABC-002 and ABC-008 are promising candidates for applications in biofuel productions via outdoor biomass cultivation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.337-345
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• 2021

Lipase (triacylglycerol lipase, EC 3.1.1.3) is an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing triacylglycerol, to produce fatty acids and glycerol and reverse the reaction of triacylglycerol synthesis from fatty acids and glycerol through transesterification. Applications of lipase are quite widespread in the industrial sector, including in the detergent, paper, dairy, and food industries, as well as for biodiesel synthesis. Lipases by yeasts have attracted industrial attention because of their fast production times and high stability. In a previous study, a lipase-producing yeast isolate was identified as Zygosaccharomyces mellis SG1.2 and had a productivity of 24.56 U/mg of biomass. This productivity value has the potential to be a new source of lipase, besides Yarrowia lypolitica which has been known as a lipase producer with a productivity of 0.758 U/mg. Lipase production by Z. mellis SG1.2 needs to be increased by optimizing the production medium. The aims of this study were to determine the significant component of the medium for lipase production and methods to increase lipase production using the optimum medium. The two methods used for the statistical optimization of production medium were Taguchi and RSM (Response Surface Methodology). The data obtained were analyzed using Minitab 18 and SPSS 23 software. The most significant factors which affected lipase productivity were olive oil and peptones. The optimum medium composition consisted of 1.02% olive oil, 2.19% peptone, 0.05% MgSO₄·7H₂O, 0.05% KCl, and 0.2% K₂HPO₄. The optimum medium was able to increase the lipase productivity of Z. mellis SG1.2 to 1.8-fold times the productivity before optimization.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.66-75
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• 2021

Microalgae are unicellular microorganisms inhabiting various ecosystems of the world, including marine and freshwater systems and extreme environments. Only a few species have been actively used as food. Microalgae are attracting attention as a means of biological CO2 reduction because they play an important role in absorbing atmospheric CO2 through their rapid growth by photosynthesis in water. Besides, microalgae are considered to be an eco-friendly energy source because they can rapidly produce biomass containing a large quantum of lipids that can be converted into biodiesel. Several microalgae, such as Chlorella spp., Spirulina spp. and Haematococcus spp. have already been commercialized as functional health supplements because they contain diverse nutrients including proteins, vitamins, minerals, and functional substances such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), β-glucan, phycocyanin, astaxanthin, etc. Moreover, they have the potential to be used as food materials that can address the protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) which may occur in the future due to population growth. They can be added to various foods in the form of powder or liquid extract for enhancing the quality characteristics of the foods. In this review, we analyzed several microalgae which can be used as food additives and summarized their characteristics and functions that suggest the possibility of a role for microalgae as future food.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.70-79
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• 2022

Biodiesel production has attracted attention as a sustainable source of fuel and is a competitive alternate to diesel engines. The glycerol that is produced as a by-product is generally discarded as waste and can be converted to green chemicals such as acetins to increase bio-diesel profitability. Acetins find application in fuel, food, pharmaceutical and leather industries. Batch experiments and analysis have been previously conducted for synthesis of acetins using glycerol esterification reaction aided by sulfated metal oxide catalysts (SO₄^2-/CeO₂-ZrO₂). The aim of this study was to optimize process parameters: effects of mole ratio of reactants (glycerol and acetic acid), catalyst concentration and reaction temperature to maximize glycerol conversion/acetin selectivity. The optimum conditions for this reaction were determined using response surface methodology (RSM) designed as per a five-level-three-factor central composite design (CCD). Statistica software 10 was used to analyze the experimental data obtained. The optimized conditions obtained were molar ratio - 1:12, catalyst concentration - 6 wt.% and temperature -90 ℃. A packed bed reactor was fabricated and column studies were performed using the optimized conditions. The breakthrough curve was analyzed.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.591-597
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• 2023

Pakistan depends heavily on imports for its fuel requirements. In this experiment, catalytic pyrolysis of a blend of feedstock's consisting of date seed, wheat straw, and corn cob was conducted in a fixed bed reactor to produce oil that can be used as an alternative fuel. The main focus was to emphasize the outcome of important variables on the produced oil. The effects of operating conditions on the yield of bio-oil were studied by changing temperature (350-500 ℃), heating rate (10, 15, 20 ℃/min), and particle size (1, 2, 3 mm). Moreover, ZnO was used as a catalyst in the process. First, the thermal degradation of the feedstock was investigated by TGA and DTG analysis at 10 ℃/min of different particle sizes of 1, 2, and 3mm from a temperature range of 0 to 1000 ℃. The optimum temperature was found to be 450 ℃ for maximum degradation, and the oil yield was indicated to be around 37%. It was deduced from the experiment that the maximum production of bio-oil was 32.21% at a temperature of 450 ℃, a particle size of 1mm, and a heating rate of 15 ℃/min. When using the catalyst under the same operating conditions, the bio-oil production increased to 41.05%. The heating value of the produced oil was 22 MJ/kg compared to low-quality biodiesel oil, which could be used as a fuel.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.768-774
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• 2009

To improve the productivity of 1,3-propanediol(1,3-PD) with K. pneumoniae DSM4799 using pure glycerol and crude glycerol derived from the biodiesel process, optimizing fermentation conditions was performed by changing environmental factors such as anaerobic/aerobic condition, temperature, glycerol concentration, and pH. When anaerobic conditions were maintained, there was an improved 1,3-PD production compared with that from aerobic/anaerobic 2-stage fermentation. From the results with temperature $26{\sim}37^{\circ}C$, the higher 1,3-PD production yield was observed at $30{\sim}33^{\circ}C$. For an initial glycerol concentration higher than 60 g/L, cell growth and 1,3-PD production were inhibited. When crude glycerol was used, the initial 1,3-PD production appeared to be inhibited. After 48 hr of incubation, however, 1,3-PD production with crude glycerol was even higher than that with pure glycerol, demonstrating the feasibility of 1,3-PD production using crude glycerol as a substrate. Fed-batch fermentation was applied for the high concentration of 1,3-PD without substrate inhibition. By regulating pH at 7 during the fed-batch with glycerol lower than 40 g/L, the yield of 1,3-PD was 25% higher than that without pH regulation(0.56 g/g vs. 0.45 g/g). In conclusion, based on our results, anaerobic conditions, temperature at $30^{\circ}C$, pure or crude glycerol lower than 40 g/L, and pH regulation at 7 were the optimized conditions for 1,3-PD production using K. pneumoniae DSM4799, making it more feasible to produce 1,3-PD at higher concentration and a lower price.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to obtain the basic informations on variability of germplasm and cultivation practice for the production of biodiesel in sunflower. A total of 275 accessions obtained from the National Agrobiodiversity Center (34 landraces from Korea, 219 and 22 introductions from America and other countries, respectively) were screened to evaluate variations of seed characteristics, oil content and fatty acid composition. Seed types were classified into 4 types (broad ovoid, narrow ovoid, rounded and elongated). The broad ovoid type was the highest proportion of 40.4%, while the elongated type was the lowest proportion of 5.0% among accessions. Also, the seed colors were classified into 4 colors (gray, brown, black and white). Gray and brown seed color showed the highest distribution and white seed color showed the lowest among accessions, respectively. Hundred and one liter seed weight ranged 2.9~15.5g and 178~439g with averages of 6.3g and 322.0g, respectively. Oil content ranged from 11.7% to 45.6% with an average of 25.5%. The frequency distribution of oil content showed the highest in range of 22~28% and the lowest in range of over 40%. Three promising accessions with higher oil content than 40.0% were IT031967, IT031970 and IT031965 introduced from America. Palmitic and stearic acid contents, saturated fatty acid, ranged 3.1~7.6% and 1.3~4.1% with averages of 4.7% and 2.2%, respectively, and a total content of saturated fatty acid ranged 5.4~9.4% with an average of 6.9%. Oleic and linoleic acid contents, unsaturated fatty acid, ranged 18.1~75.7% and 18.1~74.1% with averages of 55.2% and 38.0%, respectively. Five accessions, IT031831, IT031669, IT031895, IT031938 and IT031694, showed higher oleic acid content than 70%. A total content of unsaturated fatty acid ranged 89.6~94.8% with an average of 93.0%.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.624-632
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• 2012

As there have been lately many worldwide resource challenges such as potential exhaustion of fossil fuels, sudden rise of oil price and ever-rising grain pricing due to global food crisis, there have been more interests focused on recycling vegetable oils and fats into clean natural fuel and producing new resources based on waste cooking oil as a part of reusing waste resources. An Experiment was performed by using ratio of 50:50, 75:25 (w/w) mixture of based rapeseed oil, camellia oil, and olive oil. 50:50, 25:75 (w/w) mixture of based palm oil. The result was that the oleic acid ($C_{18:1}$) got the lowest percentage of 42.8%, when we combined the mixture of rapeseed oil and soybean oil. While the highest percentage of 72.1% was when the mixture of camellia oil and rapeseed oil were combined at 50:50 ratio. In 75:25 (w/w) case, mixture of rapeseed oil and soybean oil got the lowest. The highest ratio was the mixture of camellia oil and olive oil. Based on the component of palm oil, the total saturated fatty acid was decreased. It is expected that stabilizing oxidation through controlling of fatty acid after mixture and that liquidity at a low temperature. The acid value indicated that stabilizing oxidation got a range of highest to lowest. Camellia oil ranked as the highest, followed by olive oil, and the oil seeds as the lowest in rank. Controlling iodine value through mixture and improvement of stabilizing oxidation will provide a good quality. The quality of color has no significant change about mixture in ratio and maintenance. The reduction of the cost of refining process is expected by controling of mixture ratio at biodiesel production in the future.

• Clean Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2024

Jatropha oil extracted from the seeds of Nepalese Jatropha curcas, a non-edible crop, was used as a raw material and converted to biodiesel through a two-step process consisting of an esterification reaction and a transesterification reaction. Amberlyst-15 catalyst was applied to the esterification reaction between the free fatty acids contained in the Jatropha oil and methanol. The acid value of the Jatropha oil could be lowered from 11.0 to 0.26 mgKOH/g through esterification. Biodiesel was synthesized through a transesterification reaction between Jatropha oil with an acid value of 0.26 mgKOH/g and methanol over NaOH/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts. As the loading amount of NaOH increased from 3 to 25 wt%, the specific surface area decreased from 129 to 28 m²/g and the pore volume decreased from 0.249 to 0.129 cm³/g. The amount and intensity of base sites over the NaOH/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts increased simultaneously with the NaOH loading amount. It was confirmed that the optimal NaOH loading amount for the NaOH/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst was 12 wt%. The optimal temperature for the transesterification reaction of Jatropha oil using the NaOH/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst was selected to be 65 ℃. In the transesterification reaction of Jatropha oil using the NaOH/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst, the reaction rate was affected by external diffusion limitation when the stirring speed was below 150 RPM, however the external diffusion limitation was negligible at higher stirring speeds.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.249.2-249.2
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• 2010

최근의 고유가와 환경오염에 대한 대응 수단으로 수송용 바이오연료의 보급에 대한 관심이 세계적으로 높아지고 있다. 이 중 바이오디젤은 동식물성 기름으로부터 메탄올과의 전이에스테르화 반응에 의해 생산되는 경유대체 연료로서 환경 친화성과 지속가능성이 인정됨에 따라 그 생산량이 급격히 증가하고 있다. 바이오디젤의 생산량이 증가함에 따라 대두유, 유채유, 팜유 등의 원료유 가격 상승 및 수급 불안정 문제가 대두되고 있으며 식량자원과의 충돌 문제도 발생되고 있다. 이를 해결하기 위한 방안으로 유리지방산 함량이 높은 저가유지 자원(폐식용유, 폐돈지, 폐우지, soapstock, trapped grease)을 이용한 공정 개발 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 비활용되고 있는 해외 열대작물 열매씨앗에서 착유한 식물성 오일의 바이오디젤 원료유로서의 사용 가능성을 검토하였다. 열대작물 오일의 물성 분석 결과 고형물, 수분, 인, 유리지방산 함량이 대두원유보다 매우 높게 나타났다. 오일 중의 인지질은 바이오디젤 제조 반응후 에스테르와 글리세린의 층분리를 방해하여 공정 효율을 감소시키고 유리지방산은 염기촉매와 결합하여 지방산염을 생성해 생산수율을 감소시키는 문제를 일으킨다. 고형물과 수분은 여과와 감압증발에 의해 쉽게 제거가 가능하였다. 15~20%의 유리지방산 함유 열대작물 오일의 전처리를 위해 균질계 산촉매와 비균질 고체 산촉매를 이용해 에스테르화 반응 효율을 조사한 결과 황산이 가장 높은 효율을 보였다. 반응표면분석법(Response Surface Method, RSM)을 적용해 메탄올과 촉매량의 2변수 에스테르화반응 최적화를 수행한 결과 메탄올 26%, 촉매 0.98%로 최적 조건이 도출되었으며 초기 산가 33mgKOH/g에서 0.98mgKOH/g으로 감소됨을 확인하였다. 전처리 정제한 오일의 물성분석 결과 고형물 0.1%, 수분 0.10%, 산가 1.0mgKOH/g, 인함량 20ppm 이하로 바람직한 원료유가 생산됨을 알 수 있었다. 제조된 원료유를 이용해 전이에스테르화 반응 최적화 실험을 RSM에 근거하여 진행한 결과 KOH 0.8%, 메탄올:오일 몰비 6.2:1, 반응온도 $60^{\circ}C$, 교반속도 200rpm, 반응시간 30분으로 나타났으며 증류 정제전 97.3%, 증류후 100.0%의 바이오디젤을 생산 할 수 있었다. 열대작물 오일의 전처리 공정은 메탄올을 과잉양으로 사용함으로 효과적인 알콜 회수 공정이 중요하다. 전처리 후 층분리를 통해 회수되는 메탄올 중의 수분함량은 2%~7%로서 이를 전처리 반응에 재사용하기 위해서는 0.3%이하의 수분함량으로 정제가 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 고가의 증류탑 형태가 아닌 단증류방식으로 2단계 내지 3단계로 0.3% 수분의 메탄올 회수 조건을 도출하였으며 파일롯 공정 설계를 진행하고 있다. 이로서 본 연구의 열대작물 오일은 저가로 충분한 물량의 확보가 가능하다면 바이오디젤 원료 자원으로서 큰 활용가치가 있는 것으로 판단된다.