The invention relates to an aqueous solution of acrylic acid polymers obtainable by polymerizing acrylic acid in feed mode with peroxodisulphate as initiator in the presence of hypophosphite in water as solvent, where (i) water and optionally one or more ethylenically unsaturated comonomers are introduced initially, and (ii) acrylic acid in acidic, non-neutralized form, optionally one or more ethylenically unsaturated comonomers, aqueous peroxodisulphate solution and aqueous hypophosphite solution are added continuously, and (iii) after the end of the acrylic acid feed, a base is added to the aqueous solution, the comonomer content not exceeding 30% by weight, based on the total monomer content.