The present article describes various aspects of preparation and characterization of hydrogels based on pectin and three different amide monomers viz: acrylamide (AAm), N-isopropyl acrylamide (N-i-PAAm), and 2-acrylamid o-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid (AAmPSA). Hydrogels have been prepared by graft copolymerization as well as in the presence of crosslinker N,N-Methylene bisacrylamide ((N,N-MBAAm) and initiated by redox system comprising of ammonium peroxysulphate-ferrous ammonium sulfate (APS: FAS) at two temperatures. Hydrogels thus synthesized have been characterized by SEM, FTIR, and water uptake studies. The later has been carried as a function of time, temperature, pH, crosslinker concentration, and temperature at which the hydrogels were prepared. Candidate hydrogels have been used for the sorption of some common metal ions pollutants found in soil, industrial, and mining water bodies. Biodegradability studies have been carried by soil burial method to investigate the effect of chemical modification on biodegradability of pectin and to understand the possibility of eco-friendly nature and to explore the scope of reusability of the hydrogels and waste minimization. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.