The toxicity values of various heavy metals were evaluated by acute immobilization and chronic reproduction impairment tests, using Daphnia magna. Acute tests were evaluated by the inhibition of their mobilization after 24hrs without food addition. The tests of reproductive impairment were investigated for 21 days by food addition and exchange of water. The effect of each concentration was assessed by Probit analysis and t-test. The results obtained from this study were as follows : 1) The change of pH and DO was not significant in the acute tests, while, in the reproductive tests, pH was increased by 0.3∼1.4 and DO also increased. 2) The EiG50 values of immobilization to Daphnia magna in artificial fresh water were 0.030㎎/ℓ(Cu), 0.054㎎/ℓ(Cd), 0.12㎎/ℓ(Cr), 0.74㎎/ℓ(Pb), 3.4㎎/ℓ(As) and the NOEiC values were 0.010㎎/ℓ(Cu), 0.018㎎/ℓ(Cd), 0.010㎎/ℓ(Cr), 0.10㎎/ℓ(Pb), and 1.8㎎/ℓ(As). 3) The EiC50 values of reproductive impairment to Daphnia magna were 13.8㎍/ℓ(Cu), 2.9㎍/ℓ(Cd), 15.5㎍/ℓ(Cr), 61.7㎍/ℓ(Pb), 759㎍/ℓ(As), and NOErC values were 0.95㎍/ℓ(Cu), 0.54㎍/ℓ(Cd), 1.2㎍/ℓ(Cd), 7.4㎍/ℓ(Pb), 110㎍/ℓ(As). The results of tests using OECD artificial culture water were more sensitive than natural water for culturing. The presented data show that an artificial culture water is suitable in the experiment of bioassay for assessing the toxicity of materials.

This research was performed to investigate the dynamics of microbial community by RBC (Rotating Biological Contactor) using Rhodococcus sp. EL-GT and activated sludge. Cell counts revealed by DAPI were compared with culturable bacterial counts from nutrient agar. Colony counts on nutrient agar gave values 20∼25% and 1∼15% of cell counts (DAPI). The cell counts for the dynamics of bacterial community were determined by combination of in situ hybridization with fluorescently-labelled oligonucleotide probes and epifluorescence microscopy. Around 90∼80% of total cells visualized by DAPI were also detected by the bacteria probe EUB 338. For both reactors proteobacteria belonging to the gamma subclass were dominant in the first stage (1 and 2 stage) and proteobacteria belonging to the gamma subclass were dominant in the last stage (3 and 4 stage).

Improvement of water quality and Investigation of bacterial characteristics have been conducted in a pilot plant using biological activated carbon (BAC) in water treatment process at the downstream of the Nakdong River. Most of water control parameters were highly improved after passing through BAC. Approximately 54% of dissolved organic carbon was removed in coal-based BAC process. Bacterial biomass and bacterial production appeared 9.8×108 CFU/g and 7.l㎎-C/㎥·hr in coal-based BAC, respectively. Predominant bacteria species grown in BAC were identified as Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Alcaligenes, Acinetobacter and Aeromonas species. Particularly Pseudomonas vesicularis was dominant in both coal-based and coconut-based BACs, while Pseudomonas cepacia was dominant in wood-based BAC.

Several microorganisms which degrade phenol and trichloroethylene (TCE) were isolated from the activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant. Among them, one isolate EL-04J showed the highest degradability and was identified as a Pseudomonas species according to morphological, cultural and biochemical properties. The phenol-induced cells of Pseudomonas EL-04J, which were preincubated in the mineral salts medium containing phenol as a sole carbon source, degraded 90% of 25μM TCE within 20 h. This strain could also utilize some of methylated phenol derivatives (o-cresol, m-cresol and p-cresol) as the sole source of carbon and energy. Cresol-induced cells of Pseudomonas EL-04J also cometabolized TCE.

Microorganisms utilizing petroleum as substrate were screened from the seawater in Pusan coastal area. Among them, fifty strains utilized bunker-A oil as a sole carbon and energy source. Five of these fifty strains were selected to experiment this study. According to the taxonomic characteristics of its morphological, cultural and biochemical properties, the selected strains were named Pseudomonas sp. EL-12, Flavobacterium sp. EL-15, Acinetobacter sp. EL-18, Enterobacter sp. EL-27 and Micrococcus sp. EL-43, respectively. The optimal medium compositions and cultural conditions for assimilation of bunker-A oil by the selected strains were 1.5-2% bunker-A oil, 0.1% NH4NO3, 1-1.5% MgSO4·7H2O, 0.05-0.15% KCl, 0.1-0.15% CaCl2·2H2O, 2.5-3.5% NaCl, initial pH 8-9, temperature 30℃ and aeration, respectively. The utilization and degradation characteristics on the various hydrocarbons by the selected strains were showed that bunker oil, n-alkane and branched alkane compounds were highly activity than cyclic alkane and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds.

ABA and SA showed different effect on stomatal closing on same condition. The addition of 1 mM salicylic acid to fully opened stomata resulted in a significant reductionn of 22 % in stomatal aperture. However, 1 mM ABA reduced 73 % of stomatal aperture. The light absorption spectra of the salicylic acid solution showed that SA was degraded within 1 hour. Therefore, SA solution was resupplied to the detached epidermis every 30 min. during incubation and it was found that even at 10 μM SA induced stomatal closing significantly. Its effect was also greatly pH dependent. The reduction of stomatal aperture caused by 1 mM SA was most effective at lower pH (pH 7.2, 5 %; pH 6.2, 40 %; pH 5.2, 78 %). Therefore, if SA was properly treated to the epidermal strips in the medium, the effects of SA on stomatal closing were similar with those of ABA.

Microorganisms capable of utilizing 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid(2,4,5-T) as sole carbon source were isolated from soil by enrichment culture. Among these strains, EL-071P had the highest biodegradability of 2,4,5-T, and according to its morphological and physiological characteristics, it was identified as Pseudomonas sp. This strain was resistant to rifampicin, streptomycin, ampicillin, kanamycin and such metal ions as Zn^+2, Cu^2+, Various compounds of chlorinated phenol and substrate analogs were more easily utilized than 2,4,5-T, but biodegradation rate for each compound was different. The strain easily utilized the compounds of chlorinated substituents on phenol in the order of ortho-, para-, and meta- position. The biodegradability of this strain was very stable.

Optimal biodegradation kinetics models to the initial nonylphenol ethoxylates-30 concentration were investigated and had been fitted by the linear regression. Microorganisms capable of degrading nonylphenol ethoxylates-30 were isolated from sewage near Ulsan plant area by enrichment culture technique. Among them, the strain designated as EL-10K had the highest biodegradability and was identified as Pseudomonas from results of taxonomical studies. The optimal conditions for the biodegradation were 1.0 g/l of nonylphenol ethoxylates-30 and 0.02 g/l of ammonium nitrate at pH 7.0 and 30℃. The highest degradation rate of nonylphenol ethoxylates-30 was about 89% for 30 hours incubation on the optimal condition. Biodegradation date were fit by linear regression to equations for 3 kinetic models. The kinetics of biodegradation of nonylphenol ethoxylates was best described by first order model for 0.1 ㎍/l nonylphenol ethoxylates-30 ; by Monod no growth model and Monod with growth model for 0.5 ㎍/ml and 1.0, 5.0 ㎍/ml, respectively.

In order to find the most fitted biodegradation model, biodegradation models to the initial 4-chlorophenol concentrations were investigated and had been fitted by the linear regression. The degrading bacterium, EL-091S, was selected among phenol-degraders. The strain was identified with Pseudomonas sp. from the result of taxonomical studies. The optimal condition for the biodegradation was as fellows: secondary carbon source, concentration of ammonium nitrate, temperature and pH were 200㎎/l fructose, 600 ㎎/l, 30℃ and 7.0 respectively. The highest degradation rate of the 4-chlorophenol was about 58% for 24 hours incubation on the optimal condition. Biodegradation kinetics model of 5 ㎎/l 4-Chlorophenol, 10 ㎎/l 4-chlorophenol and 50 ㎎/l 4-chlorophenol were fitted the zero order kinetics model, respectively.