The metal ion binding characteristics of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) submicron particles prepared using 17 beta-estradiol (E2) as a template, and incorporated with dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6), were studied using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. When Sr2+ was added to DCH18C6-E2-MIP particles already occupied by Cd2+, Cu2+, and Pb2+ inside the binding sites, a displacement reaction was observed: Cd2+/Cu2+/Pb2+-DCH18C6-E2-MIP + Sr2+ = Sr2+-DCH18C6-E2-MIP + Cd2+/Cu2+/Pb2+. This demonstrated that DCH18C6 had stronger binding affinity for Sr2+ than Cd2+ Cu2+ or Pb2+. Strong DCH18C6 binding affinity was also observed for Y3+. Atomic emission spectrometry showed that DCH18C6-E2-MIP particles (150 mg/mL) resulted in 52% binding of Sr2+ (2000 ppm, at pH 6.3 +/- 0.1 and ionic strength of 0.1M NaNO2). (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 123: 12-19, 2012