The work described here entails the synthesis and characterization of polyvinyl alcohol mercaptyl fibers, coated on a fiberglass substrate, for the purpose of removing arsenite (As3+) from water. Because thiols are chemically the most active functional groups found in cells and are capable of forming very stable complexes with metal ions, this functional group was selected as an excellent candidate for arsenite removal from water. The fibers were characterized through infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, analytical titration, scanning electron microscopy, and environmental scanning microscopy. The ability of these systems to chelate arsenite was measured using equilibrium adsorption isotherms at initial concentrations of 10 and 100 ppm. The ability to regenerate these systems is also described. The fibrous mercaptyl system's performance is compared to the commercial product, Duolite's GT-73, a macroreticular polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin with chelating thiol functional groups. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.