Sodium polyacrylate is widely used in many fields, including agriculture,
sanitary products, drug delivery, wastewater treatment plants, etc. Since
polyacrylamides (PAM) are produced and used in bulk quantities, they have higher
rates of mobility in the environment when polymers are degraded. They can create
potential challenges for water supplies as well as wastewater treatment plants, and
hence their disposal and degradation in nature is a significant issue. Various modes of
degradation include mechanical, chemical, photolytic, and biological methods. In the
biological model, microorganisms are used, either aerobic or anaerobic. Both bacteria
and fungi seem to contribute to this cause; however, the enzymology and detailed
pathway of their degradation steps are still being researched, and various hypotheses
are available. Although enzyme amydases are found to be involved, there are
speculations about the role of other enzymes as well. Various methods, including
fenton oxidation, low glucose exposure, zinc oxide, and UV irradiation, are tried to
enhance the biodegradation of polyacrylamide and polyacrylates. In this book chapter,
we have included our own preliminary study results in this area. Further studies are
required to fully elucidate the mechanisms and create a suitable consortium of
microorganisms.
Keywords: Polyacrylamide, Polyacrylate, Sodium polyacrylate, Disposable diaper, Degradation, Microbes, Aerobic degradation, Anaerobic degradation, Waterlock, Amydases, Carbon source, Nitrogen source, Proteus, Pseudomonas, PAM.
