Polyacrylamide gel is non toxic. In fact, it’s used as a rehydrated gel to ‘water’ insects like crickets (that have a nasty habit of falling into water bowls and drowning). They eat the stuff. In fact there are versions with nutrients added that they are fed as food & water in one. The crickets & insects are then used to feed pet reptiles (I’ve been using the stuff for years for my animals, no problem). If it were harmful to feeder insect or reptile, it would not be used.

So as long as you’re not feeding *the powder* to something or someone, there’s no problem. Even then, it’s not the chemical that’s toxic, it’s the swelling that’s harmful. (This is essentially the same problem with the brightly colored ‘water balls’ that were recalled).