Completely water-insoluble resins containing amine, carboxylic acid, and sulfonic acid as ligand groups were synthesized by radical polymerization in solution. The yield was higher than 97%. The resins were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis. The metal ion retention properties at different pH values were investigated by a batch method. Metal ions studied were: Cu(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Hg(II), Pb(II), and Cr(III). The metal ion binding ability depended strongly on the pH. The retention properties were also tested under competitive conditions. Elution of the metal ion was investigated in acid medium at different concentrations. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.