Microbe Assisted Saccharification of Agriculture Waste Using Bacillus Sp. Enzyme Cocktail

A lignocellulosic degrading enzyme cocktail producing Bacillus sp. was isolated and assessed for its efficient saccharification efficiency. Maximal production of cellulases (100 U/mL), xylanases (108 U/mL) and laccases (56 U/mL), were produced using moistened 0.3% MD5 medium maintained at 37 °C, pH 9, 200 µM CuSO4 with 4% inoculum volume after 48h of incubation. An ecofriendly and economical mixed agriculture waste comprising of wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse and rice straw, served as good source for bioethanol production due to its carbohydrate contents. Statistical optimization using response surface methodology was done to carry out the enzyme cocktail treated saccharification of alkali-treated mixed agriculture biomass. Enzyme cocktail was used to treat 100 g of alkali-treated mixed agriculture waste maintained at pH 8.5 and 65oC for 18h and gave a net yield of 10.2 and 29 mg/mL of reducing sugars and glucose, respectively. This study highlights the potential of Bacillus to produce a cocktail of lignocellulolytic enzymes that could be used to produce bioethanol, pulp and fruit industry.