The efficiency of gel beads containing sulfonic acid ( -SO3H) group was investigated for use in the removal of Fe(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Ni(II) ions from a real wastewater, which was provided from a metal finishing factory. Poly(EGDMA-AMPS) gel beads were synthesized by suspension polymerization method from 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) using benzoyl peroxide (BPO), N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the initiator, accelerator and stabilizer, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and zeta potential measurements were used in the characterization of the gel beads. The gel beads showed preference mainly towards Fe(II). Ninety-seven percent of Fe(II) sorption was completed in the first 5 min, which increased to 97.7% in 30 min. And also, the sorption kinetics of the metal ions on the gel bead was analyzed with two sorption models, which is the Lagergren pseudo-first order and the pseudo-second order equations. While the sorption mechanism of the metal ions was not in accordance with a first-order model, it well fits the second-order model. The order in the sorption capacity was as follows: Fe(II)>Cu(II)>Zn(II)>Ni(II). (C) 2016 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.