Polyacrylamide
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Polyacrylamide is an acrylate polymer (-CH2CHCONH2-) formed from acrylamide subunits that is readily cross-linked. Acrylamide needs to be handled using good laboratory practices (GLP) to avoid poisoning since it is a neurotoxin. Polyacrylamide is not toxic, but unpolymerized acrylamide can be present in the polymerized acrylamide. Therefore it is recommended to handle it with caution. It is highly water-absorbent, forming a soft gel used in such applications as polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and in manufacturing soft contact lenses. It is also used as a thickener and suspending agent. More recently, it has been used as a subdermal filler for aesthetic facial surgery (see Aquamid).
It has also been advertised as a soil conditioner called Krilium by Monsanto in the 1950s and today "MP", which is stated to be a "unique formulation of PAM (water-soluble polyacrylamide)". The anionic form of polyacrylamide is frequently used as a soil conditioner on farmland and construction sites for erosion control.
Ionic substances like salt cause polyacrylamide to release its absorbed substance.
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