The possible removal of copper(II), nickel(II), or lead(II) by an insoluble crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) was investigated in dilute aqueous solution. The binding properties of the polymer were examined at pH = 6.0 or 4.0 with an ionic strength of the medium µ = 0.1 or 1.0 M (NaNO3) using differential pulse polarography as an investigation means. The highest complexing capacity of the polyacid was obtained with lead(II) at pH = 6.0 with µ = 0.1 M, 4.8 mmol Pb(II)/g polymer. The conditional stability constants of the complex species formed were determined using the method proposed by Ruzic assuming that only the 1:1 complex species was formed; for lead(II) at pH = 6.0 and µ = 0.1 M, log K' = 5.3 ± 0.2. It appeared that the binding properties of the polymer increased, depending on the metal ion, in the following order: Ni(II) < Cu(II) < Pb(II). The complexing capacity and log K' values decreased with the pH or with an increase of the ionic strength. These results were in agreement with the conclusions of our previous studies of the hydrosoluble linear analogues. Finally, with the insoluble polymer, the log K' values were comparable to those previously obtained with the linear analogue whereas the complexing capacity values expressed in mmol g-1 were slightly lower.Key words: insoluble crosslinked poly(acrylic acid), copper(II), nickel(II), and lead(II) complexation.
