DNA adsorption properties of Zn2+-chelated supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-N-methacryloyl-(L)-histidine methyl ester) [poly(HEMA-MAH)] monolithic cryogel column were investigated for the application of DNA-affinity adsorbents. The monolithic cryogel was loaded with Zn2+ ions to form the metal-chelated affinity sorbent. Poly(HEMA-MAH) cryogel was characterized by swelling tests, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and elemental analysis. SEM analysis indicates that the cryogel have a heteroporous structure with interconnected pores of 10-50 mu m size, which ascribed to the porogens effect of frozen water crystals. Poly(HEMA-MAH) cryogel containing 45.8 mu mol MAH was used in the adsorption/desorption of DNA from aqueous solutions. The maximum amount of DNA adsorption was 32.93 mg/g in Tris buffer at pH 7.0. It was observed that DNA could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed with the poly(HEMA-MAH) cryogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity. As a result, these higher amounts of DNA adsorbed poly (HEMA-MAH) cryogels are expected to be good candidate for achieving higher removal of anti-DNA antibodies from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients plasma. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 116: 1306-1312, 2010