The continuous requirement for pre-bleaching processes on kraft pulp, employing a range of compatible enzymes, aims to mitigate the pollution caused by chemical bleaching agents. In the present study, the laccase-producing bacterium Bacillus licheniformis BK-1 was isolated from the Bakreshwar hot spring in India and tested for laccase production using different lignocellulosic substrates. The isolate was found to produce maximum laccase (8.25 IU/mL) in the presence of rice bran as a substrate, followed by 5.14 IU/mL using sawdust over a 48 h period. Laccase production doubled when medium parameters were optimized using a central composite design. The bleaching of rice straw pulp was accomplished using a laccase, xylanase (previously extracted from the same bacteria), and laccase–xylanase mixture. The mix-wood kraft pulp treated with the enzyme mixture at pH 7.0 and 50 °C temperature for up to 180 min reduced the chlorine amount by 50% compared to the control. The results also revealed that the enzyme mixture improved the pulp’s optical (brightness 10.39%) and physical (tear index 39.77%, burst index 22.82%, and tensile strength 14.28%) properties with 50% chlorine dose. These exceptional properties underscore the enzyme mixture’s suitability for pulp pre-bleaching in paper manufacturing, offering a safer and more environmentally friendly process.

This study explores the potential of saline desert microflora from the Little Rann of Kutch as a source of novel antibiotics targeting Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Representative sites were sampled, and actinomycetes were isolated using selective media and pretreatment methods. Biochemical testing, extracellular enzyme profiling, and morphological characterization were performed. The effects of saline and alkaline conditions on growth and antibiotic production were evaluated. Submerged fermentation was employed for antibiotic production, which was tested against MRSA strains using agar well diffusion assays. Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were determined, demonstrating the significant potential of saline desert microflora in addressing antibiotic resistance.