A series of new chelate resins were synthesized by ring-opening polycondensation of the reaction mixture of furfural with diethanolamine, using sulfuric acid as a catalyst, and the resulting chelate resins were employed in the adsorption for metal ions Bi, In, Sn, V, Ga, Y, Ti, and Pb. The composition, structure, and properties of the resulting chelate resin were studied by means of fourier transform infrared (FTIR), electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum (EPR), and elemental analysis methods. Meanwhile, the adsorption properties of the resulting chelate resins for the above metal ions were investigated by inductively-coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) procedures. The results show that the resulting chelate resins hold the structure consisting of hydroxyl groups, amine groups, and conjugated pi bonds, as well as more crosslinkages, and so they exhibit a good reactivity and chemical stability. The adsorption experiments show that the chelate resins could well adsorb V, Ga, Y, Ti, and Pb in a wider acidity range and exhibit a good adsorption selectivity. Particularly, the chelate resins could adsorb and desorb for Pb, Bi, In, V, Y, and Ti quantitatively, in the given conditions. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.