Lignocellulolytic Conversion of Agrowaste by Marine Bacterial Isolates

Industrially important strains of Bacterial isolates which posses lignocellulolytic ability have not been extensively found. In the present study, the ability of the marine microorganisms to degrade cellulose, lignin and hemicelluloses is carried out, which acts as the preliminary analysis to identify the potential of the microorganisms. The microorganisms were subjected to degrade 18 different agrowaste which contain less amount of starch and carbohydrate and high amount of lignocellulosic complex. The biochemical conversion to simpler sugars for each substrate by the bacterial isolates was determined by DNS and lignin assay. Bacillus pumilus and Mesorhizobium sp. showed maximum degradation in Rice straw, Ragi straw, Paper and Eucalyptus. Cellulose degradation was seen maximum in the 5th week and lignin assay was maximum in 3rd week. Among the two isolates Bacillus pumilus exhibited a more efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrates when compared to Mesorhizobium sp. These isolates can be used for commercial scale enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass.