Fossil fuel depletion, increase in oil prices and adverse environmental effects of petroleum products have lead to sharp interest in biofuel production all over the world. The production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is a sustainable and attractive energy source for transportation fuel to replace gasoline and substitute fossil fuels. Office papers due to high cellulose and carbohydrate content are potential raw materials for production of bioethanol. Termites feed on diet rich in hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin and harbour a natural mechanism which makes them able to degrade cellulose. The mechanism of cellulose degradation is aided by the various cellulolytic bacteria that are found in the gut of termites. A technology that can give an everlasting solution to the energy requirements and reduce dependence on oil producing countries is the utilization of cellulose for the production of alternate and renewable fuels for transportation. This study is not only cost effective but also environmentally beneficial due to bioremediation of urban waste.

A major by product of poultry industry is waste feathers. The huge increase in size of individual production facilities and the total poultry industry has resulted in enormous increases in waste, particularly feathers, to be managed. Feather waste is produced in massive amount resulting in large quantities of this byproduct of poultry industry. Feathers constitute over 90% protein, the main component being beta-keratin, a fibrous and insoluble structural protein extensively cross linked by disulfide bonds. Keratin is resistant to digestion by animals, insects and proteases leading to serious disposal problems. In the present study two feather-degrading bacterial strains S1 and D1 were isolated from poultry waste.Considering their keratinolytic nature these isolate could be a potential candidate for feather protein degradation and utilization. Instead of other non eco friendly means of feather hydrolysis, use of these keratinolytic bacteria for feather degradation is an economical, environmental friendly alternative. Keratinases produced by these bacteria can be used in industries such as leather, textile and animal feed.