Acrylamide (CAS: 79-06-1)

Acrylamide (or acrylic amide) is a chemical compound with the chemical

formula C3H5NO. Its IUPAC name is prop-2-enamide. It is a white odourlesscrystalline

solid, soluble in water, ethanol, ether, and chloroform. Acrylamide decomposes in the

presence of acids, bases, oxidizing agents, iron, and iron salts. It decomposes non-thermally

to form ammonia, and thermal decomposition produces carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide,

and oxides of nitrogen.

Acrylamide is prepared on an industrial scale by the hydrolysis of acrylonitrile by

nitrile hydratase.

Most acrylamide is used to synthesize polyacrylamides, which find many uses as water-soluble

thickeners. These include use in wastewater treatment, gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE),

papermaking, ore processing, tertiary oil recovery, and the manufacture of permanent press

fabrics. Some acrylamide is used in the manufacture of dyes and the manufacture of other monomers.

The discovery of acrylamide in some cooked starchy foods in 2002 prompted concerns about

the carcinogenicity of those foods. As of 2014 acrylamide is still in debate for its carcinogenicity

links in humans.

Uses

Molecular biology laboratories

Polyacrylamide was first used in a laboratory setting in the early 1950s. In 1959, the groups of Davis

and Ornstein and of Raymond and Weintraub independently published on the use of polyacrylamide

gel electrophoresis to separate charged molecules. The technique is widely accepted today, and remains

a common protocol in molecular biology labs.

Acrylamide has many other uses in molecular biology laboratories, including the use of linear polyacrylamide

(LPA) as a carrier, which aids in the precipitation of small amounts of DNA. Many laboratory supply

companies sell LPA for this use.

Other uses

The majority of acrylamide is used to manufacture various polymers. In the 1970s and 1980s, the

proportionately largest use of these polymers was in water treatment. Additional uses include as binding,

thickening or flocculating agents in grout, cement, sewage/wastewater treatment, pesticide formulations,

cosmetics, sugar manufacturing, soil erosion prevention, ore processing, food packaging, and plastic

products. Polyacrylamide is also used in some potting soil.

Toxicity and carcinogenicity

Some evidence suggests exposure to large doses can cause damage to the male reproductive glands.

Acrylamide is considered a potential occupational carcinogen byU.S.government agencies. The

Occupational Safety and Health Administration and theNational Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health have set dermal occupational exposure limits at 0.03 mg/m3 over an eight-hour workday.