Intact RNA and DNA are of central importance to biochemical research and biotechnology. The preservation of these nucleic acids requires the absence of nuclease activity. Here, radical-mediated polymerization of vinylsulfonate on resin and glass surfaces is shown to produce a high-density poly(vinylsulfonate) coating that sequesters ribonucleases from aqueous solutions quickly and completely. The adsorptive efficacy of this coating exceeds that of other known coatings by greater than or equal to 10(7)-fold. Surfaces coated with poly(vinylsulfonate) could be used to maintain the integrity of ribonucleic acids in a variety of contexts.