The stability of linear polyacrylamides (PAAM) under thermal and irradiation conditions were investigated. The study showed that PAAm is stable under fluorescent lights and does not release any detectable acrylamide (AAM) in hot aqueous solution at 95 degreesC. Hydrolysis of side-chain amide groups to acid groups was observed during the thermal aqueous degradation. Under UV irradiation, small levels of released AAm were observed; however they are generally below 50 parts per million repeat monomer units in the polymer. A drop in viscosity is also observed. This indicates that the acrylamide released is due to chain scission, not a unzipping of the polymer chain. Methods of purifying a linear PAAM are also discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.