Application of Polyvinylidene fluoride Materials for Treatment of Municipal Wastewater Using UASB Reactor Technologies: A Review

The challenges posed by water scarcity have necessitated the need for municipal wastewater treatment. The organic matter in this type of wastewater is low when compared to it's industrial counterpart. Anaerobic digestion of wastewater results in the production for biogas, which is useful as a source of energy (heat, lighting, etc.). Production of energy is also accompanied by the cleaner wastewater that is fit-for-purpose e.g. for irrigation. This prompted a review on inclusion of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes in the upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor to further purify the effluent water. Among the polymeric membranes, PVDF has been proven relatively cheap, abundant and robust. The focus is mainly on PVDF as a membrane of choice for treating wastewater.