Quinone Profiles Research Articles

Changes of microbial population structure related to lignin degradation during lignocellulosic waste composting

Microbial populations and their relationship to bioconversion during lignocellulosic waste composting were studied by quinone profiling. Nine quinones were observed in the initial composting materials, and 15 quinones were found in compost after 50 days of composting. The quinone species Q-9(H2), Q-10 and Q-10(H2) which are indicative of certain fungi appeared at the thermophilic stage but disappeared at the cooling stage. Q-10, indicative of certain fungi, and MK-7, characteristic of certain bacteria, were the predominant quinones during the thermophilic stage and were correlated with lignin degradation at the thermophilic stage. The highest lignin degradation ratio (26%) and good cellulose degradation were found at the cooling stage and were correlated with quinones Q-9, MK-7 and long-chain menaquinones attributed to mesophilic fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes, respectively. The present findings will improve the understandings of microbial dynamics and roles in composting, which could provide useful references for development of composting technology.

Stimulative Effects of Ozone on a Biofilter Treating Gaseous Chlorobenzene

Recalcitrant volatile organic compounds with low biodegradabilities pose challenges for biofiltration technologies. In this study, the effects and mechanism of adding ozone on the performance of a biofilter were investigated. A biofilter treating chlorobenzene was set up and operated continuously for 265 days under different inlet ozone concentrations. Results showed that ozone below 120 mg m(-3) could notably enhance the biofilter performance. The average chlorobenzene removal efficiency increased from 40 to 70% and then to 90% while the inlet ozone concentration rose from 0 to 40 mg m(-3) and 120 mg m(-3). Reducing ozone concentration resulted in a decrease in removal efficiency from 90 to 40%. Further analysis indicated that the thickness and extra-cellular polymer substance content of the biofilm were remarkably reduced while inlet ozone concentration was gradually increased. Meanwhile, the specific surface areas of the filter bed were found to increase from 784 to 820 and 880 m(2) m(-3). A respiratory quinone profile showed that the dominant quinone shifted from ubiquinone-8 to menaquinone-9(H(2)) after ozone was added. This indicated that some Gram-positive bacteria with thick cell wall became the dominant species under ozone compression.

Removal of polychlorinated dioxins by semi-aerobic fed-batch composting with biostimulation of “Dehalococcoides”

A semi-aerobic, mesophilic, fed-batch composting (FBC) reactor loaded with household garbage was used to remove polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). The reactor was packed with woodchips as the solid matrix and PCDD/F-contaminated soil or flyash and then operated at a waste-loading rate of 0.5 kg (wet wt) day(-1). All congeners of PCDD/Fs (initial concentration, 200-830 pmol g(-1) [dry wt]) were totally reduced during the over period of operation, with a half reduction time of 4 months. Direct cell counting and respiratory quinone profiling showed that the reactors at the fully acclimated stage harbored a high population density of bacteria (10(11) g(-1) [dry wt]) with members of the Actinobacteria predominating. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the population of "Dehalococcoides" and its phylogenetic relatives of Chloroflexi as the possible dechlorinators varied between at the order of 10(7) to 10(8) g(-1) (dry wt). A "Dehalococcoides"-containing dechlorinating culture from the soil-treating reactor was successfully enriched with a model PCDD/F compound, fthalide. 16S rRNA gene-targeted PCR-denaturated gradient gel electrophoresis and clone library analyses showed that this culture comprised at least three major phylogenetic groups of bacteria, Acidaminobacter, "Dehalococcoides," and Rhizobium. These results suggest that the semi-aerobic FBC process is applicable for the bioremediation of PCDD/Fs and possibly other haloorganic compounds with the biostimulation of "Dehalococcoides" and its relatives as the potent dechlorinators.

Effects of UV pretreatment on microbial community structure and metabolic characteristics in a subsequent biofilter treating gaseous chlorobenzene

To provide insight into effects of UV pretreatment on microorganisms in subsequent biofilters, the changes of microbial community structure and metabolic characteristics of biofilters with (UV–BF) and without (BF) UV pretreatment were studied. The respiratory quinone and BIOLOG methods were used to analyze microbial community structure and metabolic characteristics, respectively. The results indicated the quinone profiles, the species of dominant quinone and its molar fraction of the biofilm in both biofilters showed different behaviors. Ubiquinones-8 and menaquinone-9(H 2) was the dominant quinones in BF and UV–BF processes, respectively. The dissimilarity index of two biofilters markedly increased to nearly 60 after turning on the UV lamp. The microbial samples from UV–BF process showed higher metabolic activities of 0.040 cm −1 h −1 than 0.028 cm −1 h −1 in BF process. Moreover, the microorganisms in both biofilters demonstrated distinct metabolic characteristics. Further, the performance of biofilters showed good correlation with microbial community structure and metabolic characteristics.

Feasibility study on the application of rhizosphere microflora of rice for the biohydrogen production from wasted bread

We performed an experiment of continuous anaerobic hydrogen fermentation as a pilot-plant-scale test, in which waste from a bread factory was fermented by microflora of rice rhizosphere origin. The community structure of microflora during anaerobic hydrogen fermentation was analyzed using PCR-DGGE, FISH, and quinone profiles. The relation of those results to hydrogen generation was discussed. Results show that a suitable condition was a reactor temperature of 35 °C, with HRT 12–36 h, volume load of 30–70 kg-COD Cr/m 3 day, and maximum hydrogen production rate of 1.30 mol-H 2/mol-hexose. Regarding characteristics of microflora during fermentation, PCR-DGGE results show specific 16S rDNA band patterns; Megasphaera elsdenii and Clostridium sp. of the hydrogen-producing bacteria were identified. M. elsdenii was detected throughout the fermentation period, while Clostridium sp. of hydrogen-producing bacteria was detected on the 46th day. Furthermore, FISH revealed large amounts of Clostridium spp. in the sample. The quinone profile showed that the dominant molecular species of quinone is MK-7. Because Clostridium spp. belong to MK-7, results suggest that the quinone profile result agrees with the results of PCR-DGGE and FISH. Microflora in the rhizosphere of rice plants can be a possible resource for effective bacteria of biohydrogen production.

Combined Use of Cyanoditolyl Tetrazolium Staining and Flow Cytometry for Detection of Metabolically Active Bacteria in a Fed-batch Composting Process

Microbial community dynamics with metabolically active bacteria during the start-up operation of a personal fed-batch composting (FBC) reactor were studied. The FBC reactor was loaded daily with household garbage for 2 months. Metabolically active bacteria were monitored by the redox-dye-staining method using 5-cyano-2,3-ditoryl tetrazolium chloride (CTC), and the fluorescent formazans thus produced were detected by epifluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM). Microscopic CTC-positive (CTC+) counts accounted for 75-84% of the direct total count during the first week of operation and 19-35% thereafter. Slightly higher CTC+ counts were obtained by FCM. Culture-independent approaches by quinone profiling and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes showed that a drastic population change from ubiquinone-containing members of the Proteobacteria to the Actinobacteria took place during the overall period of operation. The PCR-DGGE analysis of FCM-sorted CTC+ cells supported this observation but gave different major clones from those detected in the total community in some cases. These results suggest that metabolically active bacteria as measured by CTC staining are not always predominant in the FBC process.

The succession of microbial community in the organic rich fish-farm sediment during bioremediation by introducing artificially mass-cultured colonies of a small polychaete, Capitella sp. I

We monitored seasonal changes of the abundance and composition of microorganisms in the fish-farm sediment in Kusuura Bay, Amakusa, Japan, using the quinone profiling technique, during bioremediation by introducing cultured colonies of polychaete, Capitella sp. I. In November 2004, approximately 9.2 million cultured worms were transferred to the fish-farm sediment, which increased rapidly, and reached 458.5 gWW/m 2 (528,000 indiv./m 2) in March 2005. During this fast-increasing period of Capitella, the microbial quinone content of the surface sediment (0–2 cm) also increased markedly, and reached 237 μmol/m 2 in January 2005, although the water temperature decreased to the lowest levels in the year. Particularly, the mole fraction of ubiquinone-10 in total quinones in the sediment, indicating the presence of α subclass of Proteobacteria, increased by 9.3%. These facts suggest that the bacterial growth was enhanced markedly by the biological activities of worms in the sediment, and the bacteria played an important role in the decomposition of the organic matter in the sediment.

Biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal and changes in microbial community structure in a membrane bioreactor: Effect of different carbon sources

Bacterial community structures in four sequencing anoxic/anaerobic–aerobic membrane bioreactors (SAMs) that were fed with synthetic medium composed of different organic compounds in substrate as carbon source; acetate-dominant (acetate/propionate=4/1), propionate-dominant (acetate/propionate=1/4), glucose-dominant (glucose/acetate=4/1) and methanol-dominant (methanol/acetate/propionate=6/3/1) were analyzed by respiratory quinone profile and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. The SAMs were operated at controlled pH range 7–8.5 and at constant temperature 25 °C. Total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and COD removal performances were also evaluated and compared. In addition, trans-membrane pressure was monitored to observe the impact of substrate composition on membrane fouling. The dominance of the mole fraction of ubiquinone (UQ-8) in the SAMs indicated dominance of the β-subclass of Proteobacteria; however, its population comparatively decreased when the substrate was glucose dominant or methanol dominant. A relatively higher and stable enhanced biological phosphorus removal performance was observed when methanol-dominant substrate was used concurrently with an increase in the γ-subclass of Proteobacteria. The population of the α-subclass of Proteobacteria slightly increased along with a decrease in phosphate removal activity when the substrate was glucose-dominant. Results from FISH analysis also supported the findings of the quinone profile. The trans-membrane pressure variation in the SAMs indicated that fouling was relatively rapid when propionate-dominant or methanol-dominant substrate was used and most stable when glucose-dominant substrate was used. A combination of methanol and acetate would be a better choice as an external carbon source when nutrients removals, as well as fouling, are considered in the membrane bioreactor- (MBR-) coupled biological nutrients removing (BNR) process.

Polyphasic characterization of a PCP-to-phenol dechlorinating microbial community enriched from paddy soil

Dechlorination of PCP has been observed previously under anaerobic condition in paddy soil. However, there is poor information about the dechlorination pathway of PCP and the microbial community associated with the PCP dechlorination in paddy soil. In this study, an anaerobic microbial community dechlorinating PCP was enriched by serial transfers from a paddy soil using a medium containing PCP, lactate and the steam-sterilized paddy soil. The enriched microbial community dechlorinated PCP completely to phenol under the anaerobic condition by a dechlorinating pathway as follows; PCP-->2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenol-->3,4,5-trichlorophenol-->3,5-dichlorophenol-->3-chlorophenol-->phenol. Intermediate products such as 3-chlorophenol were not accumulated, which were immediately dechlorinated to phenol. The enriched microbial community was characterized physiologically by testing the effects of electron donors and electron acceptors on the dechlorinating activity. The dechlorinating activity was promoted with lactate, pyruvate, and hydrogen as electron donors but not with acetate. Electron acceptors, nitrate and sulphate, inhibited the dechlorinating activity competitively but not iron (III). The microbial group associated with the anaerobic dechlorination was characterized by the effect of specific inhibitors on the PCP dechlorination. Effects of specific metabolic inhibitors and antibiotics indicated the involvement of Gram-positive spore-forming bacteria with the PCP dechlorinating activity, which was represented as bacteria of phylum Firmicutes. The structure of the microbial community was characterized by fluorescence in situ hybridization, quinone profiling, and PCR-DGGE (denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis). The combined results indicated the predominance of Clostridium species of phylum Firmicutes in the microbial community. Desulfitobacterium spp. known as anaerobic Gram-positive spore-forming bacteria dechlorinating PCP were not detected by PCR using a specific primer set. These indicated a probable presence of novel anaerobic Gram-positive spore-forming bacteria dechlorinating PCP in the microbial community.

Microbial community succession and lignocellulose degradation during agricultural waste composting

The changes of microbial community during agricultural waste composting were successfully studied by quinone profiles. Mesophilic bacteria indicated by MK-7 and mesophilic fungi containing Q-9 as major quinone were predominant and seemed to be important during the initial stage of composting. Actinobacteria indicated by a series of partially saturated and long-chain menaquinones were preponderant during the thermophilic period. While Actinobacteria, fungi and some bacteria, especially those microbes containing MK-7(H4) found in Gram-positive bacteria with a low G+C content or Actinobacteria were found cooperate during the latter maturating period. Since lignocellulose is abundant in the agricultural wastes and its degradation is essential for the operation of composting, it's important to establish the correlation between the quinone profiles changes and lignocellulose degradation. The microbes containing Q-9 or Q-10(H2) as major quinone were found to be the most important hemicellulose and cellulose degrading microorganisms during composting. While the microorganisms containing Q-9(H2) as major quinone and many thermophilic Actinobacteria were believed to be responsible for lignin degradation during agricultural waste composting.

Assessment of partial nitrification reactor performance through microbial population shift using quinone profile, FISH and SEM

In engineered systems, biological nitrogen removal through partial nitrification to nitrite is of great interest. Accordingly, effect of operating parameters such as pH, DO and temperature on the accumulation of ammonia-oxidizers was investigated. pH of 8, DO of 0.3–0.5 mg/l and temperature of 35 °C yielded a ratio of 0.9–1.5 of NO 2N:NH 4N in the effluent suitable as a feed for Anammox reactor. Microbial population shift during start-up was assessed using quinone profile, SEM and FISH. UQ-8 in the biomass, which is the predominant quinone in ammonia-oxidizers, increased from 24.8% on Day 1 to 61.2% on Day 136. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in the reactor showed that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria gradually outcompeted other bacteria and was the dominant population. The morphology and inner structure of the granular sludge was observed using SEM and the photographs indicated that the aerobic granular sludge showed a shift towards spherical and small rod-shaped clusters.

Spatial patterns of bacterial signature biomarkers in marine sediments of the Gulf of Mexico

Sediment cores near a cold methane seep and gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico were analyzed for bacterial membrane phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and isoprenoid quinones. Nearby non-seep marine sediments were also analyzed for the purpose of comparison. Our goal was to use these biomarkers as proxies for microbial community structure and redox indicators. Total PLFA varied from core to core and were significantly less abundant in non-seep marine sediments than those near the cold seep or gas hydrates. In general, saturated straight chain, terminal branched and mid-chain branched, and monounsaturated fatty acids contributed > 98% of the total PLFA. The branched fatty acids (i.e., aC15:0, iC15:0, Me10C16:0) could be largely attributed to sulfate-reducing bacteria and the monounsaturated fatty acid (i.e., 16:1ω7c and 18:1ω7c) could be attributed to sulfide-oxidizing bacteria ( Beggiatoa/ Thioploca). Principal component analysis of PLFA data revealed that microbial communities were consistent with the spatial distributions of gas hydrates and Beggiatoa mats and with the variation in geochemical conditions. Isoprenoid quinone profiles indicated that aerobic respiration was the dominant metabolic process in the top-most sediment layers while the anaerobic respiration dominated the deeper intervals in the marine sediments. Significant amount of cyclopropyl fatty acids at all sites indicated the stress adaptation of the bacteria in the extreme environment. The consistency between the distribution of PLFA and respiratory quinones and the variation in geochemical conditions suggested that analyses of PLFA and quinone could help us to locate the existence of the coupled sulfide-oxidization and sulfate-reduction processes.

Spatial and Temporal Variations of Sediment Nutrient Release and Denitrification in the Head of Ariake Bay

The lack of data such as nutrient release rate and denitrification rate in enclosed bays sometimes makes it difficult to grasp the structure of the nutrient budget that is essential to solve the problemsin estuaries such as red tides, anoxic events etc. We conducted field observation of the nutrient release rate and denitrification rate in the head of Ariake bay using the nitrogen isotope pairing, for the purpose of figuring out the changes and distributions of those fluxes, and also analyzed the sediment such as carbon stable isotope, quinone profile, carbon content so as to find out the mechanism and the key factor of those nutrient fluxes.

Water Availability Is a Critical Determinant of a Population Shift from Proteobacteria to Actinobacteria during Start-Up Operation of Mesophilic Fed-Batch Composting

The effects of water availability defined as water activity (aw) or matric water potential (ψm) on microbial community dynamics during the start-up operation of mesophilic fed-batch composting (FBC) of household biowaste were studied using commercially available personal composters. The community changes were monitored for 2 months by direct cell counting, quinone profiling, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing of culturable predominant bacteria. The aw level lowered linearly with operation time and reached around 0.95 at the end of operation. During the steady-state period, aw or ψm had a strong positive correlation with moisture content and ubiquinone content and negative correlation with pH, electric conductivity, and partially saturated menaquinone content. Results of 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic identification of the predominant isolates as well as of culture-independent quinone profiling indicated that a drastic population change from ubiquinone-containing members of Proteobacteria to Actinobacteria took place during the overall period of operation. Most of the actinobacterial isolates grew on nutrient agar with an aw of less than 0.98, whereas none of the proteobacterial isolates did. These results suggest that water availability is an important determinant of the population shift from the Proteobacteria to Actinobacteria during the start-up operation of mesophilic fed-batch garbage composting.

Effects of the internal recycling rate on biological nutrient removal and microbial community structure in a sequential anoxic/anaerobic membrane bioreactor

This study investigated the effects of the internal recycling rate on nutrients removal in a sequential anoxic/anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAM). Microbial community structure in sludge from the SAM was studied using quinone profile method. Above 98% COD, 68% nitrogen, and 55% phosphorus removal efficiencies were achieved when the internal recycling rate was 2.5 times influent flow. At that rate, the optimum specific nitrate loading rate and COD/NO(3)-N ratio were found to be 2.24 mgNO(3)-N g(-1) MLSS h(-1) and 9.13, respectively. Batch tests demonstrated that anoxic condition suppressed phosphorus release, and that denitrification was also influenced by initial substrate concentration. Denitrification appeared to have some priority over phosphorus release for substrate uptake. Microbial community analysis revealed a predominance of the subclass beta-Proteobacteria. Furthermore, it was found that Rhodocyclus-related bacteria were efficient at phosphorus removal than Actinobacteria.

Microbial population structure changes in a suspended carrier biofilm reactor

The changes of microbial population structure in biofilm caused by variations of COD/NHNH4(+)-N ratio in influent were investigated in a suspended carrier biofilm reactor (SCBR). When COD/NHNH4(+)-N was 10, the highest COD removal reached was about 73.8 per cent, whereas the highest NH4(+)-N removal, about 55.9 per cent, was reached when COD/NH4(+)-N was 5. By using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observation, it was found that the thickness of the biofilm formed on the carrier was about 80 to 120 microm, and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrifying bacteria existed mainly in the upper layer about 20 to 30 microm. The results of the quinone profile analysis showed that when the COD/NH4(+)-N increased, the microbial diversity (DQ) increased, while the proportions of AOB and nitrifying bacteria in the biofilm communities decreased.

Effects of sludge retention time on membrane fouling and microbial community structure in a membrane bioreactor

In this study, the effect of sludge retention time (SRT) on membrane bio-fouling was investigated in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) equipped with a sequential anoxic/anaerobic reactor. Specific cake resistance ( α), trans-membrane pressure (TMP), mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), particle sizes, extracellular polymer substances bound in sludge (bound-EPS) and their correlations with membrane bio-fouling were studied at different SRTs. As SRT decreased to 20 days, the bound-EPS per unit of biomass increased, and consequently, the value of α increased, which resulted in the rise of TMP. However, the reduction of the bound-EPS content was relatively small as compared to a significant decrease in the value of α at longer SRTs (above 60 days). These observations suggest that colloidal particles significantly contribute to membrane bio-fouling. In addition, the diversity of the microbial community structure of activated sludge in the MBRs was observed using the respiratory quinone profile. The ubiquinone species containing UQ-8, belonging to the class β- Proteobacteria type were the major constituents of the microbial community structure. The mole fraction of menaquinone MK-6, -7 and -8(H2) increased as SRT increased. Thus, the results of this study indicate that growth of microorganisms belonging to the δ- and ɛ-subclass of Proteobacteria as well as the members of the Cytophaga– Flavobacterium cluster increased at longer SRTs.

Changes in respiratory quinone profiles of enhanced biological phosphorus removal activated sludge under different influent phosphorus/carbon ratio conditions

Changes in the microbial community of an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) activated sludge system under different influent phosphorus/carbon (P/C) ratio conditions were investigated through evaluation of population respiratory quinone profiles. A total of 13 types of respiratory quinone homologs consisting of 3 types of ubiquinones (UQ) and 10 types of menaquinones (MK) were identified in this study. The dominant quinones were UQ-8 and MK-7 throughout the operational period. A higher P/C ratio (0.1) in the influent stimulated an increase in the mole fractions of UQ-8, MK-7, MK-8(H(4)), MK-9(H(4)) and MK-8(H(8)), suggesting that actinobacterial polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) containing partially hydrogenated MK, mainly MK-8(H(4)), were contributing to EBPR. However, when the P/C ratio gradually decreased from 0.1 to 0.01, the mole fractions of UQ-8 increased from 0.46 to 0.58, while MK-7, MK-8(H(2)), MK-8(H(4)), MK-9(H(4)), MK-8(H(8)) and MK-9(H(6)) markedly decreased. These changes in the respiratory quinone profiles suggest that glycogen-accumulating organisms corresponding to some Gammaproteobacteria had become dominant populations with a decrease in actinobacterial PAO. On the other hand, increasing abruptly the P/C ratio to 0.1 further caused an increase in the mole fraction of UQ-8, indicating that Rhodocyclus-related organisms were important PAO.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of ubiquinones and menaquinones from activated sludge

Supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2) extraction, with methanol as modifier, was applied to the determination of ubiquinones and menaquinones in activated sludge. Four ubiquinones and 12 menaquinones species were identified based on retention time and UV spectrum in 0.1 g dried activated sludge. The optimum extraction conditions were at a pressure of 25 MPa, a temperature of 55 °C, and 10% (v/v) methanol for 15 min. At this condition, the concentrations of extracted ubiquinones and menaquinones were found to be 0.181 and 0.326 μmol/g-dry-cell, respectively. The results were comparable with those obtained by organic solvent extraction based on diversity and dissimilarity indices. Furthermore, the method was evaluated in term of repeatability, which resulted in an RSD of ≤10%. The experimental results have demonstrated the technique to be simple, fast, and with less consumption of organic solvents. This work shows the potential application of supercritical CO 2 extraction to microbial community analysis using quinone profile.

창원시 하천의 수질 및 미생물상 분석

창원시 주요하천의 미생물군집의 다양성을 quinone profile 방법을 이용하여 분석하였다. 그리고 온도, pH, 용존산소(DO), 용존탄소(DOC)와 화학적 산소 요구량(BOD)등 물리화학적 성상도 조사하였다. Ubiquinone UQ-8, UQ-9, UQ-10은 모든 조사 하천에서 관찰되었다. UQ-8은 가을의 남천하류, 토월천, 가음정천을 제외한 모든 하천에서 주요 퀴논 분자종이었으며, 겨울철에는 하남천, 토월천, 가음정천과 남산천을 제외한 하천에서 역시 주요 퀴논 분자종임이 확인되었다. DOC가 높을수록 가을철에는 plastoquinone(PQ-9)의 농도가 높았으며, 겨울에는 total quinone의 농도가 높았다. 상관분석 결과 BOD도 하천의 PQ농도를 좌우하는 주요 요인으로 확인되었다. The diversity of bacterial populations in rivers flowing through Changwon City, was investigated using quinone profiling. The physicochemical properties such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen(DO), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) were also measured in this study. Ubiquinone (UQ)-8, UQ-9 and UQ-10 were observed in all samples for the sites investigated. UQ-8 was the -predominant quinone species in rivers except for Namch'on downstream, T'owolch'on, and Kaumchongch'on in autumn, while UQ-8 was also found as major quinones in the sample except for Hanamch'on, T'owolch'on, Kaumchongch'on, and Namsanch'on in winter. A higher concentration of DOC in rivers yield high concentration of plastoquinone (PQ-9) in autumn and those of total quinones in winter, respectively. Correlation analysis also indicate that BOD is considered to be a major factor controlling the concentration of PQ in rivers.