Poly(acrylamide) (PACM) used in this study was prepared through an effective atom transfer radical polymerization process and characterized by NMR, FTIR, and thermo gravimetric analysis. Resulting polymer was used for the uptake of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution. Partition coefficient, retention capacity, and metal ion uptake behavior in aqueous solution of PACM at different monomer percent conversions and effect of parameters for optimization of polymerization reaction gives thermally stable PACM. Efficiency of metal ion uptake of different molecular weights of PACM were tested in batches for Ni2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Hg2+ ions in single metal solution. Metal ion sorption capacities increase with increase in polymer concentration. Metal ion sorption capacities in single metal system were 6.3 mg g1 Ni2+, 6.0 mg g1 Pb2+, 6.9 mg g1 Cu2+, 6.2 mg g1 Zn2+, 22.4 mg g1 Hg2+ for PACM of 88% conversion (Mn = 19,850). Uptake by the PACM indicates that they are effective in removing metal ions from single metal ion solutions. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013