Two series of novel hydrogels consisting of different molar ratios of monomers were prepared for specialty applications as sorbents for some common metal ions. The hydrogels, comprising acrylamide (AAm) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), were prepared in a 1:1 water-acetone solvent system using fixed concentration of the initiator system comprising ammonium persulphate (APS) and N,N,N,N-tetramethylethylene diamine (TEMED) and were in situ crosslinked using two different crosslinkers [ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (N,N-MBAAm)]. In the reaction scheme employed to prepare hydrogels, only [HEMA] was changed over five concentrations. Hydrogels were further functionalized by partial saponification with 0.5 M NaOH. The hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, SEM and water uptake, and were used as adsorbents for Cu2+, Fe2+ and Cr6+ ions. The metal ion sorption was observed in the order: Fe2+ > Cu2+ > Cr6+. From the results obtained we can tailor some hydrogels for specific metal ion separation and enrichment, as the selectivity for these ions is significantly different.