EU Pellet Loss Regulation
22. November 2025
The Invisible Plastic: How We Track Down PVA
Water-soluble does not mean gone: Our new scientific publication, released as part of the EU project UPSTREAM, shows how Polyvinyl Alcohol can be reliably detected and removed from wastewater.
The Disappearance That Actually Isn't
Detergent pods, dishwasher tablets, textiles, adhesives – Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) is ubiquitous. With an annual global production of over 650,000 tons, this water-soluble polymer is one of the most underestimated environmental pollutants of our time. The tricky part: PVA dissolves in water – making it invisible. But is it really gone? Not at all.
Studies show that approximately 77% of PVA passes through conventional wastewater treatment plants unchanged. From there, it enters bodies of water, where it can impede oxygen exchange, promote foaming, and function as a taxi for heavy metals. The label "biodegradable"? This is only true under laboratory conditions that rarely exist in reality.
From Invisible to Measurable
As part of the EU-funded Horizon project UPSTREAM, we at Wasser 3.0, together with Van Remmen UV Technology, have closed a gap: the reliable detection and removal of PVA from wastewater. Our results have now been published Open Access in the MDPI Journal Water.
Color Reaction Makes PVA Visible
Our colorimetric method utilizes an elegant chemical reaction: PVA forms a colored complex with iodine-boric acid solution – ranging from yellow to green to deep blue. The detection limit is 1.28 mg/L, and the recovery rate is over 100%. Important: Different types of PVA (different molecular weights and degrees of hydrolysis) react differently – polymer-specific calibration is crucial for precise results.
UV Light Plus Hydrogen Peroxide: 99% Removal
The key to removal lies in the Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) technology: UV-C radiation activates hydrogen peroxide, generating highly reactive hydroxyl radicals that break down PVA chains. Our optimization shows that an H₂O₂/PVA ratio of 1:1 is sufficient—even at industrial concentrations of 5 g/L. The optimal UV-C dose lies between 7.5 and 12.5 kJ/m² and the optimal H2O2 dose is 250 mg/L. Higher UV-C and H2O2 doses bring little additional benefit.
Pilot Plant: The Stress Test with Real Industrial Wastewater
Lab data is good, but practical data is better. Our mobile pilot plant combines Wasser 3.0 PE-X® – a hybrid silica gel-based agglomeration technology – with subsequent activated carbon treatment. In the test with wastewater from the plastic packaging industry: PVA reduction from 24.2 mg/L to 7.4 mg/L (65% removal), 99.1% microplastic removal. Proof that integrated solutions work.
What This Means for Water Management
This publication reveals the tool that wastewater treatment plant operators and industrial companies need: a cost-effective, robust detection method for PVA and validated removal strategies.
Based on our previous work on microplastic removal and process optimization in municipal wastewater treatment plants, we are thus expanding the portfolio for sustainable wastewater treatment.
The combination of detection, AOP, and adsorption shows that water-soluble polymers do not have to remain a blind spot. With the right technology, they become measurable – and removable.
