he swelling and dissolution process of AP-P4 was studied qualitatively and quantitatively by means of microscope observation method and colloid weighing method, and the effects of main metal ions, residual reagent and temperature on the solubility of AP-P4 in were analyzed, which were against dissolution characteristics of hydrophobically associating polymer AP-P4. The results showed that the dissolution rate of AP-P4 in water was mainly controlled by the swelling velocity of polymer swelling and the dissolution and diffusion rate of the surface molecules. The low mass concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+ or SDBS had little effect on the solubility of AP-P4, and a small amount of Fe3+ or OP-10 in the solution could significantly alter the solubility of AP-P4. Increasing the temperature properly could promote the dissolution of AP-P4.