Poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) beads (in the size range of 150-200 mum) with good mechanical properties were prepared and crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) to increase their chemical stability. Because of their hydroxyl groups, they can serve as affinity adsorbent and can be employed for medical applications. Cibacron Blue F3GA was succesfully immobilized onto the beads. The maximum dye attachment was 16.5 mumol/g. Then, metallopeptide-ligand cysteinylhexapeptide (CysHP) was incorporated onto these beads and they were used for removal of cadmium ions [Cd(II)] from human plasma in a packed-bed column. The maximum amount of CysHP attached was 3.2 mg/g. Non specific Cd(II) adsorption from human plasma on the PHEMA beads was 0.32 mg/g. The adsorption capacity of the beads decreased from 11.8 to 3.7 mg/g with the raise of the flow-rate from 1.0 to 5.0 ml/min. It has been found that the CysHP loading has a great effect on the capacity of beads for adsorbing Cd(II) ions from human plasma. This suggests that these modified beads could be used for removal of Cd(II) ions from human plasma.