Effective diffusivity of glucose in PVA hydrogel beads prepared by an iterative freezing and thawing method was determined by a curve fitting the theoretical diffusion model in a well-mixed solution, and the effects of iteration number of freezing and thawing (n) on the diffusion and partition coefficients were examined. The diffusivity (4.10 +/- 0.20 x 10(-4) cm(2)/min) in PVA gel at n = 2 was almost the same as that in water (4.08 x 10(-4) cm(2)/min), and decreased with n. The partition coefficient also gradually decreased with n. These results may be attributable to an increase in crystallinity due to syneresis during iterative freezing and thawing.