Highly crosslinked polymer networks were characterized in terms of structural differences based on the crosslinked network structures with their chromatographic molecular retentivity for some polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Because PAHs and some sterically bulky solutes were used in the chromatographic characterization, tiny differences in the crosslinked polymer networks were observed in terms of the chromatographic molecular retentivity. Ethylene dimethacrylate afforded molecular retentivity for anthracene, and this recognition ability changed with the polymerization time. In addition, 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate afforded molecular retentivity for pyrene, and this retentivity was larger than that for anthracene. The polymerization methods also affected the resulting polymer networks drastically. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.