The toxicity analysis of PVP, PVA and PEG surface functionalized ZnO nanoparticles on embryonic as well as adult Danio rerio.

Globally, the production of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) increased due to its wide applications including cosmetics, paints etc., and gets accumulated in the environment during their production, use or end-of-life. The toxic effects of the NPs vary with the presence of various surface modification agents. In the current report, toxic effect of bare and capped ZnO NPs with polymeric surface modifying agent including polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is studied against adult as well as embryonic zebra fish. The surface capped NPs showed great variation in toxicity levels. It was observed that ZnO-PVA showed highly reduced toxic effects relative to ZnO-PEG and ZnO-PVP. Further, various environmental agents including humic acid can also have an impact on NPs toxicity. ZnO particles showed increased toxic effect in humic acid presence. The uptake of ZnO particles by D. rerio was high in the order of PVP-, PEG- and PVA- followed by bare-ZnO. The current investigation found that ZnO NPs dissolution and uptake are the major factors which cause the toxicity against adult as well as embryonic zebra fishes respectively.

Polymer-Lipid Microparticles for Pulmonary Delivery.

Toward engineering approaches that are designed to optimize the particle size, morphology, and mucoadhesion behavior of the particulate component of inhaler formulations, this paper presents the preparation, physicochemical characterization, and preliminary in vitro evaluation of multicomponent polymer-lipid systems that are based on "spray-drying engineered" α-lactose monohydrate microparticles. The formulations combine an active (budesonide) with a lung surfactant (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine) and with materials that are known for their desirable effects on morphology (polyvinyl alcohol), aerosolization (l-leucine), and mucoadhesion (chitosan). The effect of the composition of formulations on the morphology, distribution, and in vitro mucoadhesion profiles is presented along with "Calu-3 cell monolayers" data that indicate good cytocompatibility and also with simulated-lung-fluid data that are consistent with the therapeutically useful release of budesonide.

Microparticulated systems based on chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) with potential ophthalmic applications.

Spherical microparticles for encapsulation of drugs for the treatment of diseases, with a diameter ranging between 2 and 4 µm, were obtained by double crosslinking (ionic and covalent) of chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) blend in a water-in-oil emulsion. Microparticles characterisation was carried out in terms of structural, morphological and swelling properties in aqueous media. The presence of chitosan in particles composition confers them a pH-sensitive character. Toxicity and hemocompatibility tests prove the biocompatible character of microparticles. The pilocarpine loading capacity is high as well as the release efficiency which increases up to 72 and 82% after 6 h. The obtained results recommend the microparticles as sustained release drug carriers for the treatment of eye diseases.

Fabrication and In Vitro/In Vivo Performance of Mucoadhesive Electrospun Nanofiber Mats Containing α-Mangostin.

This study aimed to fabricate mucoadhesive electrospun nanofiber mats containing α-mangostin for the maintenance of oral hygiene and reduction of the bacterial growth that causes dental caries. Synthesized thiolated chitosan (CS-SH) blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was selected as the mucoadhesive polymer. α-Mangostin was incorporated into the CS-SH/PVA solution and electrospun to obtain nanofiber mats. Scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and tensile strength testing were used to characterize the mats. The swelling degree and mucoadhesion were also determined. The nanofiber mats were further evaluated regarding their α-mangostin content, in vitro α-mangostin release, antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, in vivo performance, and stability. The results indicated that the mats were in the nanometer range. The α-mangostin was well incorporated into the mats, with an amorphous form. The mats showed suitable tensile strength, swelling, and mucoadhesive properties. The loading capacity increased when the initial amount of α-mangostin was increased. Rapid release of α-mangostin from the mats was achieved. Additionally, a fast bacterial killing rate occurred at the lowest concentration of nanofiber mats when α-mangostin was added to the mats. The mats were less cytotoxic after use for 72 h. Moreover, in vivo testing indicated that the mats could reduce the number of oral bacteria, with a good mouth feel. The mats maintained the amount of α-mangostin for 6 months. The results suggest that α-mangostin-loaded mucoadhesive electrospun nanofiber mats may be a promising material for oral care and the prevention of dental caries.

In vitro sustained release study of gallic acid coated with magnetite-PEG and magnetite-PVA for drug delivery system.

The efficacy of two nanocarriers polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol magnetic nanoparticles coated with gallic acid (GA) was accomplished via X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, magnetic measurements, thermal analysis, and TEM. X-ray diffraction and TEM results showed that Fe3O4 nanoparticles were pure iron oxide having spherical shape with the average diameter of 9 nm, compared with 31 nm and 35 nm after coating with polyethylene glycol-GA (FPEGG) and polyvinyl alcohol-GA (FPVAG), respectively. Thermogravimetric analyses proved that after coating the thermal stability was markedly enhanced. Magnetic measurements and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) revealed that superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles could be successfully coated with two polymers (PEG and PVA) and gallic acid as an active drug. Release behavior of gallic acid from two nanocomposites showed that FPEGG and FPVAG nanocomposites were found to be sustained and governed by pseudo-second-order kinetics. Anticancer activity of the two nanocomposites shows that the FPEGG demonstrated higher anticancer effect on the breast cancer cell lines in almost all concentrations tested compared to FPVAG.

Application of standardized methods to evaluate the environmental safety of polyvinyl alcohol disposed of down the drain.

The purpose of this research was to use polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) 18-88 as a case study to evaluate the environmental fate, ecotoxicity, and overall safety profile of water-soluble, nonmodified PVOH polymers used in detergent films. An OECD 303A Wastewater Treatment Plant Simulation Study was conducted with dissolved organic carbon as the analytical endpoint to evaluate the removal of PVOH 18-88 during wastewater treatment. During the plateau phase, high levels of removal due to biodegradation were observed (average 97.4 ± 7.1, range: 88%-116%). The OECD 303A study quantitatively verified that surface water is the dominant receiving compartment for PVOH 18-88 post wastewater treatment. Acute algae, invertebrate, and fish embryo (fish embryo acute toxicity test [FET]) ecotoxicity studies quanitified the 50% lethal/effect concentration (L/EC50) for PVOH 18-88. Due to the potential for the chorion to impact PVOH 18-88 bioavailability, both chorionated and dechorionated FET tests were conducted. L/EC50 > 1000 mg/L for FET (chorionated and dechorionated), invertebrate, and algae were observed. The Sustainable Futures (US) and REACH (EU) frameworks were used to evaluate environmental risk. For the US assessment, the Exposure and Fate Assessment Screening Tool was used to predict the single day lowest flow over a 10-year period (1Q10) surface water concentration and the seven consecutive days of lowest flow over a 10-year period (7Q10) surface water concentration and compared with acute and chronic concentrations of concern. For the EU assessment, the European Union System for the Evaluation of Substances was used to predict local and regional exposure concentrations and compared to the predicted no effect concentration. For both regulatory assessments, the exposure concentrations were >2 orders of magnitude below the effect concentrations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1693-1705. © 2024 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Toxicity of water-soluble polymers polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol for fish and frog embryos.

Personal Care Products (PCPs) have been one of the most studied chemicals in the last twenty years since they were identified as pseudo-persistent pollutants by the European Union in the early 2000s. The accumulation of PCPs in the aquatic environment and their effects on non-target species make it necessary to find new, less harmful, substances. Polyethylene glycol (PEGs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVAs) are two polymers that have increased their presence in the composition of PCPs in recent years, but little is known about the effect of their accumulation in the environment on non-target species. Through embryotoxicity tests on two common models of aquatic organisms (Danio rerio and Xenopus laevis), this work aims to increase the knowledge of PEGs and PVAs' effects on non-target species. Animals were exposed to the pollutant for 96 h. The main embryotoxicity endpoint (mortality, hatching, malformations, heartbeat rate) was recorded every 24 h. The most significant results were hatching delay in Danio rerio exposed to both chemicals, in malformations (oedema, body malformations, changes in pigmentation and deformations of spine and tail) in D. rerio and X. laevis and significant change in the heartbeat rate (decrease or increase in the rate) in both animals for all chemicals tested.

Exploring the impact of PVC and PVA microplastics on zebrafish tissue using multi-spectral imaging, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and biospeckle OCT (bOCT).

Plastics are widely used in industry and households, but improper disposal has caused their accumulation in aquatic systems worldwide. As a result, mechanical and photochemical processes break down these plastics into microplastics or nano plastics, posing a severe threat to marine organisms and humans as they enter the food chain. This study investigates the effect of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microplastics in zebrafish by using multi-spectral imaging (MSI), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and Biospeckle OCT (bOCT). These techniques allow for long-term studies in the fish without invasive procedures in real-time. Zebrafish were exposed to Nile red labeled PVC and PVA for 21 days with 500mg/L concentration. Image acquisition and analysis were performed every five days till the end of the study. MSI images revealed deposition of microplastics in the gills region of the fish; some diffused deposition was seen throughout the body in the PVA group towards the end of the experiment. The effect of these MPs on the structure of the gills and their exact location was determined by capturing OCT images. bOCT was used to determine the average speckle contrast for all the OCT images to determine the change in biological activity within the gills region. An increase in bioscpeckle contrast was observed for the MPs treated groups compared to the control group. PVC appeared to cause a more considerable rise in activity compared to PVA. The results indicated that the MPs exert stress on the gills and increase activity within the gills, possibly due to the blockage of the gills and disruption of the water filtration process, which could be monitored non-invasively only by using bOCT. Overall, our study demonstrates the usefulness of non-invasive, robust techniques like MSI, bOCT, and biospeckle for long-term zebrafish studies and real-time analyses.

Development of a low toxicity, effective pDNA vector based on noncovalent assembly of bioresponsive amino-ß-cyclodextrin:adamantane-poly(vinyl alcohol)-poly(ethylene glycol) transfection complexes.

A host:guest-derived gene delivery vector has been developed, based on the self-assembly of cationic ß-CD derivatives with a poly(vinyl alcohol) (MW 27 kDa) (PVA) main chain polymer bearing poly(ethylene glycol) (MW 750) (PEG) or MW 2000 PEG and acid-labile adamantane-modified (Ad) grafts through an acid-sensitive benzylidene acetal linkage. These components were investigated for their ability to promote supramolecular complex formation with pDNA using two different assembly schemes, involving either precomplexation of the pendent Ad-PVA-PEG polymer with the cationic ß-CD derivatives before pDNA condensation (method A) or pDNA condensation with the cationic ß-CD derivatives prior to addition of Ad-PVA-PEG to engage host:guest complexation (method B). The pendent polymers were observed to degrade under acidic conditions while remaining intact for more than 5 days at pH 7. HeLa cell culture data show that these materials have 10(3)-fold lower cytotoxicities than 25 kDa bPEI while maintaining transfection efficiencies that are superior to those observed for this benchmark cationic polymer transfection reagent when the method A assembly scheme is employed. These findings suggest that degradable cationic polymer constructs employing multivalent host:guest interactions may be an effective and low-toxicity vehicle for delivering nucleic acid cargo to target cells.

Are "liquid plastics" a new environmental threat? The case of polyvinyl alcohol.

Despite the pollution induced by plastics become a well-known and documented problem, bringing many countries to adopt restrictions about their production, commercialization and use, the impact of another emerging category of synthetic polymers, represented by the Water-Soluble Polymers (WSPs), also known as "liquid plastics", is overlooked by scientific community. WSPs are produced in large quantities and used in a wide plethora of applications such as food packaging, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, cosmetics and detergents, with a consequent continuous release in the environment. The aim of this study was the investigation of the possible toxicity induced by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), one of the main produced and used WSPs, on two freshwater model organisms, the crustacean Daphnia magna and the teleost Danio rerio (zebrafish). We evaluated the effects of solubilized standard PVA powder and PVA-based commercial bags for carp-fishing, at 3 different concentrations (1 µg/L, 0.5 mg/L and 1 mg/L), through the exposures for 14 days of D. magna (daphnids; age < 24 h) and for 5 days of zebrafish embryos (up to 120 h post fertilization - hpf). As acute effects we evaluated the immobilization/mortality of specimens, while for chronic toxicity we selected several endpoints with a high ecological relevance, as the behavioural alteration on swimming performance, in real-time readout, and the activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO), a neuro-enzyme with a potential implication in the organism movement. The results showed the lack of significant effects induced by the selected substances, at all tested concentrations and in both model organisms. However, considering the wide plethora of available WSPs, other investigations are needed to provide the initial knowledge of risk assessment of these compounds contained in some consumer products.

A mussel-inspired film for adhesion to wet buccal tissue and efficient buccal drug delivery.

Administration of drugs via the buccal route has attracted much attention in recent years. However, developing systems with satisfactory adhesion under wet conditions and adequate drug bioavailability still remains a challenge. Here, we propose a mussel-inspired mucoadhesive film. Ex vivo models show that this film can achieve strong adhesion to wet buccal tissues (up to 38.72 ± 10.94 kPa). We also demonstrate that the adhesion mechanism of this film relies on both physical association and covalent bonding between the film and mucus. Additionally, the film with incorporated polydopamine nanoparticles shows superior advantages for transport across the mucosal barrier, with improved drug bioavailability (~3.5-fold greater than observed with oral delivery) and therapeutic efficacy in oral mucositis models (~6.0-fold improvement in wound closure at day 5 compared with that observed with no treatment). We anticipate that this platform might aid the development of tissue adhesives and inspire the design of nanoparticle-based buccal delivery systems.

Wound healing properties of triple cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol)/methacrylate kappa-carrageenan/chitooligosaccharide hydrogel.

To develop an effective and mechanically robust wound dressing, a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/methacrylate kappa-carrageenan (κ-CaMA) composite hydrogel encapsulated with a chitooligosaccharide (COS) was prepared in a cassette via repeated freeze/thaw cycles, photo-crosslinking, and chemical cross-linking. The chemical, physical, mechanical, in vitro biocompatibility, in vivo wound-healing properties, and antibacterial activity of triple-crosslinked hydrogel were subsequently characterized. The results showed that the PVA/κ-CaMA/COS (Pκ-CaC) hydrogel had a uniformly thick, highly porous three-dimensional architecture with uniformly distributed pores, a high fluid absorption, and retention capacity without disturbing its mechanical stability, and good in vitro biocompatibility. Macroscopic images from the full-thickness skin wound model revealed that the wounds dressed with the proposed Pκ-CaC hydrogel were completely healed by day 14, while the histomorphological results confirmed full re-epithelization and rapid skin-tissue remodeling. This study thus indicates that the composite Pκ-CaC hydrogel has significant potential for use as a wound dressing.

Enhanced anti-cancer activity by localized delivery of curcumin form PVA/CNCs hydrogel membranes: Preparation and in vitro bioevaluation.

This study targets to develop curcumin-loaded polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanocrystals (PVA/CNCs) membrane as localized delivery system for breast/liver cancer. A novel strategy was developed for enhancing encapsulation capacity and maximizing therapeutic efficiency of curcumin-loaded PVA/CNCs membranes. Membranes were prepared by solution-casting method using citric acid as crosslinker. SEM revealed that PVA/CNCs ratio (80:20) was chosen as the optimum for loading curcumin. FT-IR indicated that, curcumin was incorporated into PVA/CNCs in amorphous-phase via intermolecular hydrogen bond between curcumin and membrane components. Curcumin showed biphasic-release through burst-release of 41% of curcumin during the first hour, followed by sustained-release of 70% and 94% during 24 h and 48 h, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity of PVA/CNCs/Curcumin membrane exhibited a selective inhibition proliferation of breast and liver cancer cells in a concentration-dependent without any toxic effect on normal cells. At high concentration (8 mg/ml) of PVA/CNCs/Curcumin, reduced viability to 35% and 7% of MCF-7 and Huh-7 cells, respectively; meanwhile high HFB-4 normal cell viability ≥80% was investigated. Antimicrobial activity of PVA/CNCs/Curcumin was investigated by multi-drug-resistant strains, and MIC values. PVA/CNCs/Curcumin membranes with concentration (40 mg/ml) showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, thus inhibited ~96-99% of microbial growth. PVA/CNCs/Curcumin membranes could be as promised anti-infective biomaterials for breast and liver cancer wound healing.

Evaluation of synthesized cross linked polyvinyl alcohol as potential disintegrant.

PURPOSE: The present study deals with evaluation of crosslinked poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) as a potential disintegrant. METHODS: Crosslinking of PVA was carried out using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker, in presence of acidic conditions. The crosslinking reaction was optimized for a) polymer: crosslinker ratio; b) temperature requirement and c) reaction duration. Certain physical parameters of the disintegrant (including sedimentation volume, hydration capacity, specific surface area and bulk and tap density) were determined and compared to the known disintegrants. Characterization was carried out using FT-IR, DSC, XRD, SEM and Photo microscopy studies. The developed excipient was also studied for acute toxicity in rats and found to be safe for oral use. RESULTS: Disintegration property of formed product was compared to known disintegrant (Ac-Di-Sol) and it was found to give better results. The disintegration mechanism of developed disintegrant was postulated based on results obtained from various physical evaluations including: Study of effect of disintegrant concentration, fillers, and hardness, mode of incorporation and method of granulation on disintegration activity. CONCLUSIONS: By changing the condition parameters of well known crosslinking reaction of PVA, we obtained a crosslinked product which had excellent disintegration activity, good flow and optimal tableting properties.

VATA: A Poly(vinyl alcohol)- and Tannic Acid-Based Nontoxic Underwater Adhesive.

Few studies aiming to develop a glue with an underwater reusable adhesive property have been reported because combining the two properties of reusable adhesion and underwater adhesion into a single glue formulation is a challenging issue. Herein, preparation of a simple mixture of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and a well-known phenolic compound, namely, tannic acid (TA), results in an underwater glue exhibiting reusable adhesion. We named the adhesive VATA (PVA + TA). Using VATA, two stainless steel objects (0.77 kg each) are able to be instantly attached. In addition to the high adhesive strength, surface-applied VATA in water retains its adhesive capability even after 24 h. In contrast, cyanoacrylate applied under the same water condition rapidly loses its adhesive power. Another advantage is that VATA's adhesion is reusable. Bonded objects can be forcibly detached, and then the detached ones can be reattached by the residual VATA. VATA maintains nearly 100% of its initial adhesive force, even after 10 repetitions of attach-detach cycles. VATA bonds various materials ranging from metals and polymers to ceramics. Particularly, we first attempt to test the toxicity of the underwater adhesives using an invertebrate nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans and gold fish (vertebrate) due to potential release to the environment.

Evaluation of the Effect of Crosslinking Method of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Hydrogels on Thrombogenicity.

PURPOSE: Crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a biomaterial that can be used for multiple cardiovascular applications. The success of implanted biomaterials is contingent on the properties of the material. A crucial consideration for blood-contacting devices is their potential to incite thrombus formation, which is dependent on the material surface properties. The goal of this study was to quantify the effect of different crosslinking methods of PVA hydrogels on in vitro thrombogenicity. METHODS: PVA was manufactured using three different crosslinking methods: 30% sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), three 24 h freeze-thaw cycles (FT), and 2% glutaraldehyde-crosslinked (GA) to produce STMP-PVA, FT-PVA and GA-PVA, respectively. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) was used as a clinical control. As markers of thrombus formation, the degree of coagulation factor (F) XII activation, fibrin formation, and platelet adhesion were measured. RESULTS: The GA-PVA material increased FXII activation in the presence of cofactors compared to vehicle and increase platelet adhesion compared to other PVA surfaces. The STMP-PVA and FT-PVA materials had equivalent degrees of FXII activation, fibrin formation and platelet adhesion. CONCLUSION: This work supports crosslinker dependent thrombogenicity of PVA hydrogels and advances our understanding of how the manufacturing of a PVA hydrogel affects its hemocompatibility.

Biomimetic epidermal sensors assembled from polydopamine-modified reduced graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels for the real-time monitoring of human motions.

Conductive hydrogel-based epidermal strain sensors can generate repeatable electrical changes upon mechanical deformations for indication of the skin's physiological condition. However, this remains challenging for many conductive hydrogel sensors due to biomechanical mismatch with skin tissues and an unstable resistance variation response, resulting in non-conformable deformations with the epidermis and dermis, and consequently generating inaccurate monitoring of human movements. Herein, a conductive hydrogel that highly matches the skin is fabricated from dynamically hydrogen-bonded nanocrystallites of polydopamine-modified reduced graphene oxide (PDA-rGO) nanosheets composited with polyvinyl alcohol, namely the PDA-rGO/PVA hydrogel. PDA-rGO provides a large number of dynamic hydrogen-bonding interactions in the hydrogel, resulting in a skin-matching modulus (78 kPa) and stretchability. Moreover, the resultant hydrogel possesses excellent cytocompatibility and conductivity (0.87 S m-1), high sensitivity (gauge factor of compression: 20) at low strain and outstanding linearity at high strain as well as a stable resistance variation response. These desirable properties enable the application of the PDA-rGO/PVA hydrogel as a skin-friendly wearable sensor for real-time and accurate detection of both large-scale joint movements and tiny physiological signals, including the bending and relaxing of fingers, the wrist, elbow and knee joints, and wrist pulse and swallowing. Moreover, this hydrogel is integrated into a 2D sensor array that monitors strains or pressures in two dimensions, which is promising for electronic skin, biosensors, human-machine interfaces, and wearable electronic devices.

Antibacterial, Self-Adhesive, Recyclable, and Tough Conductive Composite Hydrogels for Ultrasensitive Strain Sensing.

Owing to the characteristics of mimicking human skin's function and transmitting sensory signals, electronic skin (e-skin), as an emerging and exciting research field, has inspired tremendous efforts in the biomedical field. However, it is frustrating that most e-skins are prone to bacterial infections, resulting a serious threat to human health. Therefore, the construction of e-skin with an integrated perceptual signal and antibacterial properties is highly desirable. Herein, the dynamic supramolecular hydrogel was prepared through a freezing/thawing method by cross-linking the conductive graphene (G), biocompatible polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), self-adhesive polydopamine (PDA), and in situ formation antibacterial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Having fabricated the hierarchical network structure, the PVA-G-PDA-AgNPs composite hydrogel with a tensile strength of 1.174 MPa and an elongation of 331% paves way for flexible e-skins. Notably, the PVA-G-PDA-AgNPs hydrogel exhibits outstanding antibacterial activity to typical pathogenic microbes (e.g., Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus), which effectively prevents bacterial infections that harm human health. With self-adhesiveness to various surfaces and excellent conductivity, the PVA-G-PDA-AgNPs composite hydrogel was used as strain sensors to detect a variety of macroscale and microscale human motions successfully. Meanwhile, the excellent rehealing property allows the hydrogel to recycle as a new sensor to detect large-scale human activities or tiny movement. Based on these remarkable features, the antibacterial, self-adhesive, recyclable, and tough conductive composite hydrogels possess the great promising application in biomedical materials.

Biocompatibility of a New Kind of Polyvinyl Alcohol Embolic Microspheres: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation.

The aim of this study is to investigate the biocompatibility of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) embolic microspheres by in vivo and in vitro evaluations. Two specifications of PVA microspheres including colorless microspheres (1 g microspheres with 7 mL 0.9% sodium chloride (SC) per vial, size: 500-700 µm) and blue microspheres (2 g microspheres with 7 mL 0.9% SC per vial, size: 500-700 µm) were assessed for biocompatibility. The vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated in L929 cells by MTT assay. Acute systemic toxicity and 28-repeat dose intravenous subchronic toxicity were assessed in 20 ICR mice and 40 SD rates, respectively. Skin sensitization was conducted in 30 adult albino guinea pigs by maximization test, in addition, intracutaneous reaction test was performed in New Zealand white rabbits. Hemolysis ratio of PVA microspheres was evaluated with rabbit blood. Moreover, test for genotoxicity was assessed by bacterial reverse mutation test and mouse lymphoma mutagenesis assay. No cytotoxicity, hemolysis, or acute toxicity of PVA microspheres was found, and slight fluctuations of biochemical indexes were observed in test of 28-day repeat dose intravenous subchronic toxicity, while these changes remained within our historical permitted range. Maximization test and intracutaneous reactivity test disclosed no irritation to skin or tissues. According to bacterial reverse mutation test and mouse lymphoma mutagenesis assay, no genotoxicity of PVA microspheres was observed. PVA microspheres showed excellent biocompatibility both in vivo and in vitro, and they were promising embolic materials for drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) therapy.