SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIODEGRADABLE HYDROGEL SUPER ABSORBENT POLY(POTASSIUM ACRYLATE)-g-GLUCOMANNAN BY GAMMA IRRADIATION TECHNIQUE. Aseries of superabsorbent hydrogels was synthesized fromaqueous solution of partially neutralized acrylic acid (Dn = 0.5) with KOH at varied glucomannan concentrations (0.25 - 1.0%), followed by gamma irradiation at a single dose of 10 kGy at room temperature. The effects of glucomannan concentration on the water absorption behavior and gel fraction of the obtained hydrogels were studied. Chemical structure of hydrogels were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), while their morphologywere examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that glucomannan concentration of 0.5%was the optimumcondition which yielded the highest swelling ratio of ~800 g/g and gel fraction of 94.45%. The FT-IR spectra analysis indicated that the functional group of acrylic acid C=C double bonds had shifted. SEM micrographs revealed that the surface of hydrogels containing pores with various shape and size.