The　wastewater　produced　during　tertiary　oil　recovery　often　contains　a　large　amount　of　hydrolyzed　polyacrylamide　(HPAM),　which　is　difficult　to　treat　using　conventional　biological　methods　because　of　its　high　molecular　weight　and　viscosity.　Electrochemical　methods　are　considered　to　be　effective　for　the　treatment　of　refractory　wastewater.　In　this　study,　the　electrochemical　degradation　of　HPAM　using　several　anode　materials　was　investigated.　The　results　show　that　the　highest　HPAM　removal　efficiency　was　obtained　when　iron　was　used　as　the　anode.　The　effects　of　the　reaction　time,　voltage,　current　density,　electrode　distance,　initial　pH,　and　temperature　on　the　efficiency　of　HPAM　removal　were　investigated　using　single-factor　experiments,　and　the　HPAM　removal　rate　was　found　to　depend　most　strongly　on　the　reaction　time,　voltage,　and　initial　pH.　Based　on　these　results,　Box-Behnken　design　was　used　to　optimize　the　electrochemical　treatment　of　HPAM,　and　the　optimal　conditions　for　HPAM　removal　were　determined　to　be　the　following:　voltage　=　7.6　V,　pH　=　4.7,　and　reaction　time　=　10.5　min.　The　optimal　conditions　were　tested　experimentally,　and　the　HPAM　removal　efficiency　was　found　to　be　98.4%,　which　fell　within　the　95%　confidence　interval　of　the　model　results.　Analysis　of　the　degradation　mechanism　showed　that　HPAM　removal　occurred　mainly　via　electro-coagulation,　with　a　contribution　rate　of　83%,　together　with　electro-oxidation,　and　that　the　degradation　intermediates　included　ammonia　and　ethers.　Therefore,　this　electrochemical　technique　is　effective　for　treatment　of　wastewater　containing　HPAM.