20.500.12556/RUL-145650 Degradation of water soluble poly(vinyl alcohol) with acoustic and hydrodynamic cavitation laying foundations for microplastics Water-soluble poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) is widely used in the textile and paper industries and in households as detergent pods. In addition to conventional microplastics, water-soluble PVOH poses an environmental threat because it is usually washed down the drain unnoticed and unobstructed. If not treated during wastewater treatment, it enters the aquatic ecosystem in estimated quantities of several thousand tons annually. The present study aims to address the degradation of PVOH on a laboratory scale by acoustic and hydrodynamic cavitation, assisted or not with an oxidative agent. A hydrodynamic cavitation generator, designed with consideration for real-life application, presents an innovative technology adapted for wastewater treatment. The effects of temperature, addition of external oxidant, and methanol as a hydroxyl radical ($^•$OH) scavenger to PVOH solutions were systematically studied. At optimal operating conditions, PVOH molar mass averages significantly decreased (from weight average molar mass of 124 to 1.6 kg mol$^{−1}$ in case of 60 min treatment with hydrodynamic cavitation and addition of external oxidant) with concomitant narrowing of molar mass distribution. The SEC/MALS, FTIR, and $^1$H NMR results show that mechanical degradation of PVOH chains predominates in acoustic cavitation, while chemical effects also play an important role in hydrodynamic cavitation. Findings from this study could serve as model research for the degradation of other carbon-backbone polymers and provide a route to improved ultimate (bio)degradation of functionalized polymers in the environment. cavitation PVOH microplastics degradation mechanical engineering pollution remediation kavitacija PVOH mikroplastika razgradnja true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2023-05-04 08:10:21 2023-05-04 08:10:22 2024-02-28 13:34:11 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2023 0 0 11 str. Vol. 6, art. 35 2023 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 532.528:678.7 2059-7037 10.1038/s41545-023-00248-8 150832899 Petkovsek_..._-_Degradation_of_water_soluble_poly(vinyl_alcohol)_with_acoustic.pdf Petkovsek_..._-_Degradation_of_water_soluble_poly(vinyl_alcohol)_with_acoustic.pdf 1 70F58DB2CAED7E7FBF84600A442CA4E7 23c4d93f4fe6563b2ca7d10c67c05ad5c4d6b6f175adea1dca48e7769da62b49 164eb408-ea43-11ed-a314-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=168605 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41545-023-00248-8 1 23ab0240-ea42-11ed-a314-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=168604 Fakulteta za strojništvo Fakulteta za farmacijo 0 0 0