The synthesis of a new chelating ion exchanger with hydroxamic and amidoxime groups was performed by an aminolysis reaction of an ethylacrylate/acrylonitrile/divinylbenzene copolymer with hydroxylamine in the presence of sodium ethoxylate. We studied the retention property of the new resin for Pb(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Mn(II), and Fe(III) metal cations from aqueous solutions. The retention capacity depends on the contact time, the pH of the solution, and the types of counterions of the metal cations. Competitive adsorptions of Pb(NO3)(2) + Fe-2(SO4)(3), Pb(NO3)(2) + MnSO4, Pb(NO3)(2) + Cd(NO3)(2), and Pb(NO3)(2) + CuCl, on the new chelating ion exchanger were performed. The results showed that the resin preferentially retained the Pb(II) ions from the binary aqueous mixtures. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.