Frequently Asked Questions

The Science and Safety of AquaFilm® Water-Soluble Technology

At MonoSol, we believe true material innovation is designed to minimize environmental impact. Below, we break down the science, environmental fate, and regulatory context behind our AquaFilm® water-soluble technology. Explore the FAQs to see how detergent-grade PVA delivers high performance, dissolves in use, and can biodegrade under appropriate conditions—without forming solid microplastic particles.

What is MonoSol’s AquaFilm® made of, and is it considered plastic?

The Short Answer: AquaFilm® starts as a solid film but is designed to dissolve in water under typical use conditions into individual polymer chains—so it’s no longer present as a solid plastic particle. This delivers the performance of traditional packaging while helping reduce persistence compared to conventional plastics.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

The Chemistry: AquaFilm® is made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which is synthesized from Ethylene Gas and Acetic Acid¹. It is colorless, odorless, and entirely non-toxic^2,3.
The Dissolution: Detergent-grade PVA is uniquely engineered to dissolve completely. As supported by structural studies in journals like Macromolecules, when it dissolves in water, it ceases to be a solid altogether and behaves as individual, flexible polymer coils in solution^4,5,6.
The End-of-Life: Because it loses its solid state, it undergoes rapid biodegradation in standard natural conditions into environmentally benign materials^7,8. Therefore, it does not contribute to plastic or microplastic pollution.

Does AquaFilm® (PVA) break down into microplastics?

The Short Answer: Detergent-grade PVA isn’t classified as a microplastic under current scientific and regulatory definitions. It dissolves in water into individual polymer chains instead of forming solid plastic particles.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

The Definition: Global regulatory frameworks, including the EU Microplastics Regulation and the scientific criteria utilized by the EPA, define microplastics as synthetic, solid, and explicitly water-insoluble particles^9,10.
The Physics: Advanced analytical studies—using techniques like Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS)—prove that once detergent-grade PVA enters the wash, it loses its solid state entirely⁴.
The Reality: Because AquaFilm® is designed to dissolve in water and can biodegrade under appropriate conditions it cannot act as a "Trojan horse" for environmental toxins, nor does it accumulate in the environment like persistent, hard plastics (such as polyethylene or polystyrene)^11,12.

What happens to the film after it dissolves in the washing machine?

The Short Answer: It doesn’t just disappear—it’s designed to break down. After dissolving in the wash, it can be broken down by microorganisms in wastewater treatment systems, transforming primarily into water and carbon dioxide under appropriate conditions.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

Not a Source of Solid Microplastic Particles: AquaFilm® is designed to dissolve in water and can biodegrade under appropriate conditions. It is not expected to persist in the environment in the same way as conventional plastics and is not considered a source of solid microplastic pollution.
Stringent Testing: AquaFilm® meets established criteria for biodegradability, including OECD 301B, a standardized test method widely used by regulatory agencies^13,14.
Conservative Standards: These 3rd-party biodegradation tests are highly conservative by design. They test under worst-case scenarios (using very low ratios of microorganisms to test material) to guarantee that the material biodegrades very rapidly and effectively in actual environmental conditions^15,16.

If water-soluble films aren't the problem, what are the primary sources of microplastics in laundry?

The Short Answer: One of the main sources of laundry-related microplastics is synthetic clothing. Fabrics like polyester, nylon, and acrylic shed microscopic plastic fibers during a typical wash cycle.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

The Real Culprit: Environmental monitoring of oceans, rivers, and wastewater treatment systems shows that major sources of microplastics include insoluble synthetic fibers from textiles, alongside tire wear particles and larger plastic fragments.^17,18,19,20.
The Mechanism: Unlike PVA films, which are designed to dissolve and can biodegrade under appropriate conditions, synthetic textiles shed persistent, solid microfibers. Because of their size and shape, some of these insoluble fibers can bypass wastewater filtration systems and enter natural waterways.
The Evidence: Independent studies analyzing the effluent from washing machines have found heavy concentrations of PET fibers (such as those from polyester blankets and fleece) but consistently find zero evidence of particulate PVA film²¹. These findings suggest that water-soluble packaging is not a significant contributor to household microplastic loads compared to textile fibers.

Is AquaFilm® safe for humans and the environment?

The Short Answer: PVA is widely considered safe for its intended uses. It has been extensively studied and is used in a variety of FDA-regulated and other everyday applications, including medical and personal care products.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

Everyday Medical & Food Use: Beyond laundry, PVA is trusted in pharmaceuticals, contact lens lubricants, and "artificial tears" used to treat dry eyes^2,22.
Regulatory Recognition: The safe use of AquaFilm® is formally recognized by the USA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA)^3,22.
EPA Safer Choice: MonoSol has products actively approved in the EPA Safer Choice database, which helps consumers find products containing ingredients safer for human health and the environment. In its 2022 and 2023 rulings on petitions regarding polyvinyl alcohol, the EPA explicitly reiterated PVA's safer choice status^23,24,25.

How do water-soluble PVA films improve everyday products?

The Short Answer: They make household chores simpler, cleaner, and safer by encapsulating pre-measured doses of concentrated detergents. This supports effective performance, can enable lower-energy washing (such as cold-water cycles), and can help reduce packaging and transportation impacts.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

Sustainable Cleaning: By holding highly concentrated detergents and segregating powerful cleaning chemistries, PVA makes sustainable cleaning possible—including enabling cold-water washes.
Ingredient Stability: The film keeps different active ingredients (like enzymes, bleaching agents, and surfactants) separate and stable within a single multi-compartment packet.
Optimized Release: When placed in water, the film dissolves in a controlled manner, releasing the specific ingredients at the appropriate stage of the wash cycle for optimal performance.

What are some other B2B and consumer uses for AquaFilm®?

The Short Answer: MonoSol produces water-soluble film technology used across a wide range of consumer and business-to-business applications to improve safety and precision.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

Agriculture: AquaFilm® is heavily utilized in agriculture as a seed coating and helps reduce direct contact for farmers from touching, pouring, or measuring highly concentrated chemicals.
Manufacturing: The technology is also used in advanced transfer printing and commercial embroidery processes.
Pharmaceuticals: Other companies specialize in the use of PVA films or coatings for the dosing of medicines that are consumed orally or through sublingual absorption².

How does AquaFilm® differ from bioplastics?

The Short Answer: AquaFilm® is designed to dissolve in water and can be broken down by microorganisms under appropriate conditions, whereas many bioplastics are not water-soluble and can create challenges in traditional recycling streams.

Read the Scientific Deep Dive

Explainer Videos

MonoSol's Disappearing PVA Technology [English Subtitles]

Play Video

Biodegradation Testing for Water-Soluble Materials

Play Video

Reference List

Finch CA. Some Properties of PVA and their Possible Applications. Polym J. 1973.
DeMerlis CC, Schoneker DR. Review of the oral toxicity of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Food Chem Toxicol. 2003.
Final Report On the Safety Assessment of Polyvinyl Alcohol. International Journal of Toxicology. 1998.
Gallagher-Leila C, et al. Defining the Conformation of Water-Soluble Poly(vinyl alcohol) in Solution: A SAXS, DLS, and AFM Study. ACS Omega. 2025.
Gu L, et al. Bound water governs the single-chain property of Poly(vinyl alcohol) in aqueous environments. Macromolecules. 2022.
Characterization of Partially Hydrolyzed Poly(vinyl alcohol). Effect of Poly(vinyl alcohol) Molecular Architecture on Aqueous Phase Conformation. Macromolecules. 2003.
Biodegradability of Polyvinyl Alcohol Based Film Used for Liquid Detergent Capsules. Polym Degrad Stab. 2020.
Assessment of Toxicity and Biodegradability of Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Based Materials in Marine Water. Polymers. 2021.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section IV, C.1). Federal Register. 2023.
Hartmann NB, et al. Are We Speaking the Same Language? Recommendations for a Definition and Categorization Framework for Plastic Debris. Environ Sci Technol. 2019.
Microplastics as carriers of toxic pollutants: Source, transport, and toxicological effects. Environ Int. 2019.
Sorption Behavior and Mechanisms of Organic Contaminants to Nano and Microplastics. Molecules. 2020.
OECD. Test No. 120: Solution/Extraction Behaviour of Polymers in Water. OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals. 2000.
Water soluble polymer biodegradation evaluation using standard and experimental methods. Polym Degrad Stab. 2018.
Application of standardized methods to evaluate the environmental safety of polyvinyl alcohol disposed of down the drain. Integr Environ Assess Manag. 2022.
Multi-laboratory evaluation of the reproducibility of polymer biodegradation assessments applying standardized and modified respirometry methods. Chemosphere. 2023.
Twenty years of microplastic pollution research—what have we learned? Science. 2021.
Plastic Debris in 29 Great Lakes Tributaries: Relations to Watershed Attributes and Hydrology. Environ Sci Technol. 2016.
Chemical composition of microplastics floating on the surface of the Mediterranean Sea. Mar Pollut Bull. 2020.
From the Caribbean to the Arctic, the most abundant microplastic particles in the ocean have escaped detection. Environ Sci Technol. 2024.
Bayo J, et al. Lack of Evidence for Microplastic Contamination from Water-Soluble Detergent Capsules. Microplastics. 2022.
European Food Safety Authority. Opinion of the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) related to the use of polyvinyl alcohol as a coating agent for food supplements. EFSA Journal. 2005.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section V, B.2). Federal Register. 2023.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section V, B.4a and 4b). Federal Register. 2023.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Denial of Requested Rulemaking (Section V, B.2 and Section V, B.3). Federal Register. 2023.