Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate) (poly(GMA-co-PEGDA)) microbeads were synthesized by suspension polymerization and modified with iminodiacetic acid. The structures and morphologies of the microbeads were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Bands at 1250 cm(-1), 912 cm(-1) and 765 cm(-1) resulted from symmetric stretching of the epoxy ring, asymmetric ring stretching of the C-C bond and a 12 micron band, respectively. The synthetic yields, ion-exchange capacities and water uptake were investigated. The maximum adsorption predicted by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and Freundlich adsorption model and poly(GMA-co-PEGDA) modified with IDA is considered to be adsorb into a mono-layer. The thermodynamic parameters (Delta G degrees, Delta H degrees and Delta S degrees) of the microbeads dependent adsorption isotherms and indicate that the adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.