Plasma-activated water (PAW), due to either possessing a sterilization effect or harboring stimulation, activation, and inhibition properties, has been widely used in medicine, biology, food, and many other fields. Here, the qualitative and quantitative methods for detecting reactive species in PAW are reviewed and the potentials and limitations of these methods are discussed. Compared to established methods for individual analysis of reactive species, unique challenges arise for the detection and quantification of the cocktail of reactive species found in PAW, in particular interference from non-target species. Technologies which could offer real-time analysis of species generation, mass transfer, and antimycobacterial dynamics are in urgent need. Thereafter, this review provides an outlook on the future research in analysis methods for physical and chemical properties of PAW.

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