Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) beads with an average size of 350 mu m were synthesized by suspension polymerization technique. The PGMA beads were first modified with iminodiacetonitrile (IDAN). Then, the IDAN-modified beads were subsequently modified by hydroxylamine. The IDAN modification and the conversion of the nitrile groups to amidoxime were followed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The surface morphology and thermal behav-ior of the PGMA and its modified forms were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis techniques, further confirming modification and amidoximation. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.