Metal chelating properties of Cibacron Blue F3GA-derived poly(EGDMA-HEMA) microbeads have been studied. Poly(EGDMA-HEMA) microbeads were prepared by suspension copolymerization of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and hydroxy-ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) by using poly(vinyl alcohol), benzoyl peroxide, and toluene as the stabilizer, the initiator, and the pore-former, respectively. Cibacron Blue F3GA was covalently attached to the microbeads via the nucleophilic substitution reaction between the chloride of its triazine ring and the hydroxyl groups of the HEMA, under alkaline conditions. Microbeads (150-200 mu m in diameter) with a swelling ratio of 55%, and carrying 16.5 mu mol Cibacron Blue F3GA/g polymer were used in the adsorption/desorption studies. Adsorption capacity of the microbeads for the selected metal ions, i.e., Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Fe(III), and PB(II) were investigated in aqueous media containing different amounts of these ions (5-200 ppm) and at different pH values (2.0-7.0). The maximum adsorptions of metal ions onto the Cibacron Blue F3GA-derived microbeads were 0.19 mmol/g for Cu(II), 0.34 mmol/g for Zn(II), 0.40 mmol/g for Cd(II), 0.91 mmol/g for Fe(III), and 1.05 mmol/g for Pb(II). Desorption of metal ions were studied by using 0.1 M HNO3. High desorption ratios (up to 97%) were observed in all cases. Repeated adsorption/desorption operations showed the feasibility of repeated use of this novel sorbent system.