Ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy is used to probe residual olefin in polypropylene. Ratios of the olefin band to nonresonantly enhanced polymer modes increase with increasing; olefin content. No UV photodamage is evident for samples which are moved through the laser beam. In contrast, an increase in intensity of the olefin band as a function of irradiation time is seen in stationary samples of polymer, which probably indicates photo-oxidative degradation.
