Polyacrylamide degradation and its implications in environmental systems

Boya Xiong; Rebeca Dettam Loss; Derrick Shields; Taylor Pawlik; Richard Hochreiter; Andrew L. Zydney; Manish Kumar

doi:10.1038/s41545-018-0016-8

Polyacrylamide degradation and its implications in environmental systems

Boya Xiong, Rebeca Dettam Loss, Derrick Shields, Taylor Pawlik, Richard Hochreiter, Andrew L. Zydney, Manish Kumar

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

296 Scopus citations

Abstract

High molecular weight (10⁶–3 × 10⁷ Da) polyacrylamide (PAM) is commonly used as a flocculant in water and wastewater treatment, as a soil conditioner, and as a viscosity modifier and friction reducer in both enhanced oil recovery and high volume hydraulic fracturing. These applications of PAM can result in significant environmental challenges, both in water management and in contamination of local water supplies after accidental spills. This paper provides a short review of current applications of high molecular weight PAM, including the potential for PAM degradation by chemical, mechanical, thermal, photolytic, and biological processes. Methods for treating wastewater containing partially degraded PAM are then discussed along with issues related to the potential toxicity and mobility of PAM in the environment after disposal or accidental release.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	17
Journal	npj Clean Water
Volume	1
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-018-0016-8
State	Published - Dec 1 2018
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Partial support for this work was provided by a Penn State College of Engineering Innovation Grant and a seed grant through the Center for Collaborative Research in Intelligent Gas Systems (CCRINGS) program funded by General Electric (GE). Additional support was provided by the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center small grants program.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, The Author(s).

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title = "Polyacrylamide degradation and its implications in environmental systems",

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AU - Shields, Derrick

AU - Pawlik, Taylor

AU - Hochreiter, Richard

AU - Zydney, Andrew L.

AU - Kumar, Manish

N1 - Funding Information: Partial support for this work was provided by a Penn State College of Engineering Innovation Grant and a seed grant through the Center for Collaborative Research in Intelligent Gas Systems (CCRINGS) program funded by General Electric (GE). Additional support was provided by the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center small grants program. Publisher Copyright: © 2018, The Author(s).

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N2 - High molecular weight (106–3 × 107 Da) polyacrylamide (PAM) is commonly used as a flocculant in water and wastewater treatment, as a soil conditioner, and as a viscosity modifier and friction reducer in both enhanced oil recovery and high volume hydraulic fracturing. These applications of PAM can result in significant environmental challenges, both in water management and in contamination of local water supplies after accidental spills. This paper provides a short review of current applications of high molecular weight PAM, including the potential for PAM degradation by chemical, mechanical, thermal, photolytic, and biological processes. Methods for treating wastewater containing partially degraded PAM are then discussed along with issues related to the potential toxicity and mobility of PAM in the environment after disposal or accidental release.

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Polyacrylamide degradation and its implications in environmental systems

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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