This article describes some properties and behavior of oxidized cellulose evaluated with ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Newly defined analytical parameters are described. Mechanisms of poly(1,4-beta;-D-anhydroglucuronic acid) degradation and destruction are formulated. The feasibility of using the same Staudinger-Mark-Houwink equation to calculate the degree of polymerization of cellulose and the degree of polymerization of oxidized cellulose is demonstrated. Utilization of ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy is shown for the optimization of oxidized cellulose production and aging. Advantages and limitations of this method are discussed. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.