In this study, we analyzed the changes in concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFA), phenols, and indoles, as well as odor contribution in pig slurry. The pig slurry was stored for approximately two months after the manure excretion of pigs which had been fed 3% level of peat moss additive. The investigation was carried out through lab-scale experiments simulating slurry pit conditions within pig house. Throughout the storage period, the concentration of VFA exhibited a tendency to be 11%-32% higher in the pig manure treated with peat moss as compared to the control group. From a concentration perspective, phenol and acetic acid accounted for the majority of the total odor compounds produced during the pig slurry storage period. However, their significance diminished when the concentration of odoros compounds are converted into odor activity value and odor contribution. Despite the odor reduction effect of the ammonia (NH3) adsorption by peat moss, if it cannot effectively reduce the high odor-contributing compounds such as indoles and p-cresol, the sole use of peat moss may not be considered an effective means of mitigating odors produced by pig slurry. According to this study, indoles, p-cresol, skatole, and valeric acid were consistently revealed as major odor-contributing substances during the two-month storage of pig slurry. Therefore, a comprehensive odor mitigation methodology should be proposed, taking into consideration the odor generation characteristics (including temporal concentration and odor contribution) of pig slurry-derived odors during storage.

Natural environmental resources are considered a prospective source of microorganisms capable of producing biocatalysts with great potential in industrial areas. Arable soil fertilized with peat moss is a habitat for various microorganisms. The present research focused on the isolation and identification of hydrolase-producing bacteria that thrive at a broad temperature range. In this study, a total of 33 strains were isolated from arable soil fertilized with peat moss (Silla Garden in Busan, South Korea). The isolated bacteria were mesophiles and thermophiles with a wide temperature range. Taxonomic identification showed that the isolated strains belonged to 2 phyla, 5 families, 10 genera, and 24 species. Subsequently, the isolated strains were screened for hydrolase (amylase, lipase, and protease) activity. All isolates possessed activity of at least one enzyme and six bacterial isolates produced combined extracellular enzymes. Diversity of soil bacteria species in the present study suggest the potential of soil bacteria in the various industrial applications.

An experiment was conducted to study the potential of thermal treated oak sawdust(steaming and steam explosion) as horticultural medium component in plug seedlings production of Chinese cabbage(Brassica campestris L.). This study involves the chemical, physical characterization and growth test of thermal treated oak sawdust(steaming and steam explosion) in order to evaluate their use as components of horticultural media. A commercial peat moss and oak sawdust were used as control. The total carbohydrate, C/N ratio, pH, phenolic compound, total porosity and water holding capacity were 45.1g/100g dry wt, 425.1, 4.4, 141.8mg/g wt, 82.5%, 47.1% in oak sawdust and 39.2g/100g dry wt, 300.3, 4.7, 131.7mg/g wt, 84.9% and 49.2% in steamed oak sawdust and 30.3g/100g dry wt, 247.8, 5.7, 40.8mg/g wt, 92.3% and 51.7% in steam exploded oak sawdust, respectively. The mixtures of the horticultural media were prepared using different substrate as peat moss, oak sawdust, steamed oak sawdust, steam exploded oak sawdust and perlite to grow Chinese cabbage in a greenhouse. The seed germination, stem height and leaf area were 68%, 2.2cm, 1.1cm2 in OSP(containing 90% oak sawdust and 10% perlite) and 69%, 2.5cm, 1.5cm2 in SMP(containing 90% steamed oak sawdust and 10% perlite) and 87%, 3.0cm, 2.2cm2 in SEP(containing 90% steam exploded oak sawdust and 10% perlite), respectively. The leaf area SEP(containing 90% steam exploded oak sawdust and 10% perlite) was higher than that of PP(containing 90% peat moss and 10% perlite). This research indicates that steam exploded oak sawdust may be utilized as a suitable replacement for peat moss in horticultural media component for Chinese cabbage.

토탄과 같은 자연소재를 이용한 자연친화적인 연안 저질개선제 살포가 꼬막의 혈액학적 성상 몇 근육 글리코겐 함량에 미치는 영향에 대하여 알아보기 위하여 실내 실험을 실시하였다. 저질개선제를 단위면적(m2)당 0, 100, 300, 800g의 양을 살포 후 10일 동안 숙성시킨 꼬막을 수조에 수용하여 14일 동안 사육 실험한 결과 저질개선제를 단위면적(m2)당 800g 살포한 구에서 48시간 후에 1개체가 폐사한 것 이외에 심험종료까지 폐사가 일어나지 않아 자연소재로 구성된 저질개선제가 생물 자체에는 직접적인 독성을 나타내지 않는 것으로 판단된다. 꼬막 혈액의 전혈량, 헤마토크리트값, 헤모글로빈량에 있어서는 저질개선제 살포 농도별 큰 차이를 보이지 않았으나 혈액 글루코스량 및 근육 글리코겐량은 대조구와 비교하여 증가하는 경향이었다.