Are cationic polyacrylamide copolymers bad for the environment?

Cationic polyacrylamide copolymers (PAMs) are used for sludge dewatering in municipal waste water treatment and might enter the environment by spreading of the sludge on agricultural land. Concern has been expressed since little is known about the degradation of PAMs in soils.

Do cationic polyacrylamide copolymers degrade in soil after land-spreading?

This project demonstrated that the synthetic cationic polyacrylamide copolymers (PAMs) incorporating C–C-bonds in the main chain slowly degrade in soil after land-spreading as a component of MWWTP sludge.

What are cationic polyacrylamide copolymers?

Cationic polyacrylamide copolymers (PAMs) are a group of water-soluble polymers with a wide range of applications in industry, food processing, agriculture and waste management. One of the major applications for PAM is sludge dewatering in municipal waste water treatment plants (MWWTPs).

What is the degradation rate of Pam?

Studies on PAM have reported degradation rates ranging from 15 % to 70 % under aerobic conditions, emphasizing the importance of considering these factors in predicting the fate and behavior of PAM in the environment (Nyyssölä and Ahlgren, 2019).

Is polyacrylate recalcitrant to biodegradation?

Although the remaining polyacrylate is more recalcitrant to biodegradation than the amide group, there are reports on degradation of polyacrylate by aerobic fungal, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria (Nyyssölä and Ahlgren, 2019).

Which reagent is used to degrade polyacrylamide in aqueous solution?

Ramsden, D. K. & McKay, K. Degradation of polyacrylamide in aqueous solution induced by chemically generated hydroxyl radicals: Part I-Fenton’s reagent. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 14, 217–229 (1986). Ramsden, D. K., & McKay, K.