Another cool example of using beneficial microbes in the indoor environment… in this case using Bacillus strains to reduced odors in pub urinals. The company (CBIO) that markets this device called the “Clearinator” also has other neat sounding microbial-based devices such as the “Bactaerator” and the “Baccelerator”.
Pretty simple really, they find bacterial strains that break down uric acid and put them in a slow-release dispenser inside a urinal (along with some perfume and surfactant). Apparently they’re putting these in pubs all over England with good success.
This general approach is applicable to a variety of small-scale waste problems and in fact the company website claims they have bacteria effective against “a range of organic pollutants including grease, fat, compost, oil, diesel, uric acid, limescale.”
Hopefully this is also a sign that more and more people are looking at all aspects of microbial ecology in the built environment… not just the more traditional pathogen hunting.
