Assessing the risks to freshwater ecosystems from water-soluble polymers

Tarring, Eve 2025. Assessing the risks to freshwater ecosystems from water-soluble polymers. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

	PDF (Thesis) - Accepted Post-Print Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 3 September 2026 due to copyright restrictions. Download (8MB)
	PDF (Cardiff University Electronic Publication Form) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (699kB)

Abstract

Water-soluble polymers (WSPs) are polymers that dissolve, disperse or swell in water and modify the physical properties of the aqueous system to which they are added. As such, they are used in multiple household and industrial products and industries, despite the lack of understanding of their release into the environment. This thesis aims to address the growing concern over the entry and impact WSPs could have on freshwater environments. By developing new analytical techniques to detect WSPs, creating interdisciplinary studies and probing the application of standardised methods to these polymers, this thesis has made advances in our understanding of the ways WSPs interact with the environment. Several key findings include the difficulty of extracting WSPs from environmental media due to their physicochemical properties, the inability of standardised regulatory protocols to include polymer interaction with the tests themselves and the identification of key prioritisation areas moving forward for both research and potential regulation. This thesis also includes three publications that highlight new analytical methodology to aid with WSP identification and the interaction of WSPs with aquatic organisms through nutrition uptake prevention. Overall, WSPs are identified as a cause for concern, but a group of chemicals that can not be viewed as a singular problem. A multifaceted and systematic approach is now required for the prioritisation of the most harmful WSPs.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Chemistry
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	3 September 2025
Last Modified:	03 Sep 2025 13:53
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/180847

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item