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Tier 2
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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Detection Methods
Remediation
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Spectrophotometric Polyvinyl Alcohol Detection and Validation in Wastewater Streams: From Lab to Process Control
Water2025
1 citation
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 43
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Anika Korzin,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Anika Korzin,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Erika Myers,
Erika Myers,
Erika Myers,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Erika Myers,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Erika Myers,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Katrin Schuhen
Erika Myers,
Erika Myers,
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Michael Sturm,
Katrin Schuhen
Michael Sturm,
Katrin Schuhen
Anika Korzin,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Michael Sturm,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Erika Myers,
Dennis Schober,
Erika Myers,
Erika Myers,
Erika Myers,
Erika Myers,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Katrin Schuhen
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Michael Sturm,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Anika Korzin,
Katrin Schuhen
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Erika Myers,
Kaspar Groot Kormelinck,
Kaspar Groot Kormelinck,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Michael Sturm,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Erika Myers,
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Oleg Zernikel,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Pieter Ronsse,
Anika Korzin,
Anika Korzin,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Oleg Zernikel,
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Oleg Zernikel,
Oleg Zernikel,
Dennis Schober,
Erika Myers,
Oleg Zernikel,
Dennis Schober,
Oleg Zernikel,
Oleg Zernikel,
Oleg Zernikel,
Oleg Zernikel,
Oleg Zernikel,
Dennis Schober,
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Dennis Schober,
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Katrin Schuhen
Summary
A spectrophotometric method was developed and validated for detecting polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a water-soluble polymer increasingly used in dissolvable packaging and detergent pods. Reliable detection of PVA is important because it may contribute to water pollution in ways that standard microplastic analysis methods miss.
Study Type
Environmental
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is increasingly encountered in wastewater, yet reliable quantification and effective removal remain challenging. A colorimetric method for PVA quantification was validated, demonstrating excellent linearity and recoveries of 100.6 ± 2.8%. Limits were established at a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.28 mg/L and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1.8 mg/L. Accuracy was influenced by the PVA type, with errors reaching up to 42% due to variations in molecular weight and degree of hydrolyzation affecting the color complex. Consequently, polymer-specific calibration is advised. Analytical precision required strict temperature control and exact reaction times, and potential matrix interferences in wastewater should be assessed prior to application. PVA removal was evaluated using an AOP process based on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and UV-C irradiation. Increasing the H2O2/PVA ratio beyond 1:1 provided only marginal improvements, whereas increasing the UV-C dose was more impactful. A 1:1 H2O2/PVA ratio was sufficient even at PVA concentrations up to 5 g/L. Optimal UV-C doses were 7.5–12.5 kJ/m2; higher doses yielded only marginal additional removal. The colorimetric method was suitable for laboratory trials. A pilot-scale treatment of industrial wastewater applied microplastic agglomeration with organosilanes followed by granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment, which reduced PVA from an average of 24.2 mg/L to 7.4 mg/L, achieving ~65% removal, while microplastic removal reached 99.1%.