Spotlight on the Life Cycle of Acrylamide-Based Polymers Supporting Reductions in Environmental Footprint: Review and Recent Advances

Abstract

Humankind is facing a climate and energy crisis which demands global and prompt actions to minimize the negative impacts on the environment and on the lives of millions of people. Among all the disciplines which have an important role to play, chemistry has a chance to rethink the way molecules are made and find innovations to decrease the overall anthropic footprint on the environment. In this paper, we will provide a review of the existing knowledge but also recent advances on the manufacturing and end uses of acrylamide-based polymers following the “green chemistry” concept and 100 years after the revolutionary publication of Staudinger on macromolecules. After a review of raw material sourcing options (fossil derivatives vs. biobased), we will discuss the improvements in monomer manufacturing followed by a second part dealing with polymer manufacturing processes and the paths followed to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. In the following section, we will see how the polyacrylamides help reduce the environmental footprint of end users in various fields such as agriculture or wastewater treatment and discuss in more detail the fate of these molecules in the environment by looking at the existing literature, the regulations in place and the procedures used to assess the overall biodegradability. In the last section, we will review macromolecular engineering principles which could help enhance the degradability of said polymers when they reach the end of their life cycle.

The Characteristics of Time-Dependent Changes of Coefficient of Permeability for Superabsorbent Polymer-Soil Mixtures

“…Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are promising for environmental uses as reservoirs of water in dry soil, potentially alleviating the burden of irrigation [1]. However, confinement in soil can markedly reduce the ability of superabsorbents to absorb water and swell, and influence water flow through soil profile [2].…”

Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide: enhanced oil recovery applications, oil-field produced water pollution, and possible solutions

“…At present, fossil fuels are the main source of greater than 85% of the energy consumption worldwide, and especially crude oil will still play a major role in transportation and other industrial sectors for years to come (Joshi et al, 2022 ). The difficulty in discovering new reservoirs, the depletion of crude oil in old reservoirs, and pandemic like COVID-19 has led to fluctuations in crude oil prices (Abidin et al, 2012 ; Braun et al, 2022 ; Quadri et al, 2015 ). Extraction of oil as the upstream process of the petroleum industry occurs in three phases (Fig.…”

“…At the primary stage, the natural internal pressure of the reservoir from aquifer water and gas helps to extract about 5–10% of total oil reserves. At the second stage, 30–40% of oil is recovered (Al-Sulaimani et al, 2011 ; Lucas et al, 2009 ; Geetha et al, 2018 ; Al-Ghailani et al, 2021 ; Braun et al, 2022 ). At this stage, injected water extracts additional oil by increasing reservoir pressure.…”

“…At this stage, injected water extracts additional oil by increasing reservoir pressure. However, researchers reported that approximately 50% of oil remaining in place needs to be retrieved by enhanced oil recovery (EOR) means (Abidin et al, 2012 ; Braun et al, 2022 ; Gao, 2016 ; Joshi et al, 2022 ). A tertiary oil recovery includes the injection of different materials normally not present in oil wells.…”

“…A tertiary oil recovery includes the injection of different materials normally not present in oil wells. Various EOR methods such as thermal, chemical, microbial, and gas injection methods were reported to extract ~ 5–30% of the remaining oil (Al-Ghailani et al, 2021 ; Braun et al, 2022 ; Geetha et al, 2018 ; Lehmköster et al, 2014 ).

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