The swelling rate and the environmental sensitivity of novel superabsorbent gum arabic-acrylic hydrogel hybrids were investigated. The swelling kinetics of the hydrogel hybrids was studied by means of a Voigt-based visco-elastic model. The effects of concentration of the initiator, crosslinker, and the monomer ratio on the swelling rate were studied. The superswelling properties of the hydrogel hybrids were evaluated in various environmental pH, salinity and solvent-water mixtures. The optimally prepared hydrogel, MR5, showed a reproducible on-off switching behavior when the swelling medium was alternatively changed between distilled water and alkaline solutions. The hydrogel hybrid MR5 was also tested to be swollen and deswollen alternatively in distilled water and sodium chloride solution. The sorption-desorption behavior was found to be quite repeatable. A similar capability was interestingly observed when a calcium chloride solution with the same molar concentration was used. The swelling changes of the hydrogel hybrid were examined in various water-solvent systems including the aqueous solutions of methanol, ethanol, acetone, ethylene glycol, glycerol, and dimethylsulfoxide. One and/or two volume-phase transitions were induced by the nonsolvents. The transitions were explained according to the solubility parameters of the solvents and water-solvent mixtures. The swelling-deswelling capability of the hydrogel in alternatively changed solvent-water mixtures was also studied. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.