The floating biofilter is one of a new range of products which Rhenipal ( UK ) Ltd are marketing. The Biofilter was originally developed at Brunswick University, Germany, and the Dirk Group of Companies has secured an exclusive licence to market the product in Europe.
	The Biofilter is best described as a floating, double chambered mattress, which is used mainly to reduce odour emissions from sewage sludge lagoons. One chamber contains a floating medium, which supports the second chamber containing filter medium. The filter medium acts as a substrate for micro-organisms which are responsible for the reduction of offending gases such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and organic emissions. The micro-organisms incorporate these emissions as part of their metabolism – they detoxify the gases into odourless products. The Biofilter has a useful second application in that it provides a floating mattress, which is safe to walk on and thereby enabling safe access for maintenance to areas of the lagoon.
	The flexibility of the Biofilter system enables a filter cover to be made to fit any shape of lagoon with or without sloping sides and large storage tanks. The walk on floating Biofilter is a low cost efficient odour control product. It is designed to withstand UK climatic conditions and has a useful life span of about seven years.