The experimental study of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) textile material degradation by ozone oxidation process

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a water-soluble polymer, is widely used in the disposable textile industry and, in particular, in the manufacture of one-off work clothes that cannot be effectively treated by biological processes. The present study investigated the effect of the initial PVA concentration, reaction temperature, ozone penetration rate and initial pH value on the degradation rate of PVA. Additionally, the PVA degradation reaction mechanism was preliminarily explored. Initially, we identified the optional operative conditions: an initial PVA concentration of 20 g/L, an aqueous solution temperatureof 20 °C, an ozone penetration rate of 18 g/h and an initial pH value of 9. Subsequently we demonstrated that the PVA concentration of sample could decrease from 20 g/L to 0.286 mg/L with a degradation rate of PVA of almost 100%. Furthermore, in absence of ozone, almost no PVA polymer degradation was achieved. This study also proved that the feeding strategy of ozone could have a significant impact on the degradation of PVA molecules in the ozone oxidation process. We, therefore, provided new insights into the degradation process of PVA in aqueous solution.