The aim of the present study was to subject the post-consumer waste, namely paper cups for vermicomposting along with cow dung in three different ratios for a period of 90-140 days employing Eisenia fetida. The post-consumer wastes are a menace in many developing countries including India. This waste was provided as feed for earthworms and was converted to vermicompost. Vermicompost prepared with paper cup waste was analyzed for their physicochemical properties. Based on the physicochemical properties, it was evident that the best manure is obtained from type A (paper cup/cow dung in the ratio 1:1) than type B (paper cup/cow dung in the ratio 1.5:0.5) and type C (paper cup/cow dung in the ratio 0.5:1.5). The results showed that earthworms accelerated the rate of mineralization and converted the wastes into compost with needed elements which could support the growth of crop plants. The predominant bacterial strains in the vermicompost were characterized biochemically as well as by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. The bacterial strains like Bacillus anthracis (KM289159), Bacillus endophyticus (KM289167), Bacillus funiculus (KM289165), Virigibacillius chiquenigi (KM289163), Bacillus thuringiensis (KM289164), Bacillus cereus (KM289160), Bacillus toyonensis (KM289161), Acinetobacter baumanni (KM289162), and Lactobacillus pantheries (KM289166) were isolated and identified from the final compost. The total protein content of E. fetida involved in vermicomposting was extracted, and the banding pattern was analyzed. During final stages of vermicomposting, it was observed that the earthworm did not act on the plastic material coated inside the paper cups and stagnated it around the rim of the tub. Further, the degradation of paper cup waste was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Hence, vermicomposting was found to be an effective technology for the conversion of the paper cup waste material into a nutrient-rich manure, a value-added product.

Environmental pollution has been identified as a major problem in the modern world. Dyeing effluents have become a vital source of water pollution. Release of coloured textile effluents is undesirable in the aquatic environment as they reduce light penetration, thereby affecting aquatic life and limits utilization of the water media. In Tirupur, the textile factories discharge millions of litres of untreated effluents into the drains that eventually empty into river, Noyyal. The release of coloured compound into water bodies is undesirable not only because of their impact on photosynthesis of aquatic plants but also due to the carcinogenic nature of these dyes and their breakdown products. The ability of bacterial strains isolated from the dye effluent of textile mill sites. Morphological and biochemical characterization was done to identify isolates and was found to be Pseudomonas spp, Bacillus spp and Serattia spp. The isolated strains were finally identified by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Bacteria are generally identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. The rRNA is the most conserved (least variable) gene in all cells. They were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Serattia liquefaciens. The sequences were deposited in GENBANK. The accession numbers were KU041528, KU041530 and KU041531 respectively. The identification was conformed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Keywords: Textile Dye Effluents, Bacteria, 16S rRNA, NCBI.