Use of polyacrylamide in soil

[S. A. Modena]

In article <1992Jun9.153802.19382 at athena.cs.uga.edu> PRICKRIL at bscf.uga.edu (BEN PRICKRIL) writes:
>Is anyone familiar with any potential hazards of using polyacrylamide or
>"polyacrylamide monomers" in soil to aid water retention? A product called
>Water Grabber (there are probably others) is sold for this purpose. It seems
>that the potential for acrylamide to break down (depolymerize) in soils could
>pose a serious health threat, since acrylamide monomer is a potent neurotoxin.
>Any information you can provide will be helpful!
>
>Ben Prickril
>mx%"prickril at bscf.uga.edu"

Certainly, acrylamide is neurotoxic....but the question is whether degradation
of polyacrylamide follows the "strict reverse" reaction (which I doubt)....
and whether acrylamide, if present, is an attractive metabolite for soil
microflora, which presumably would not suffer neurotoxic effects. :^)

~~~Steve

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