Poly(2-acrylamido glycolic acid-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid) [P(AGA-co-APSA)] was synthesized by radical polymerization in an aqueous solution. The water-soluble polymer, containing secondary amide, hydroxyl, carboxylic, and sulfonic acid groups, was investigated, in view of their metal-ion-binding properties, as a polychelatogen with the liquid-phase polymer-based retention technique under different experimental conditions. The investigated metal ions were Ag+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, and Cr3+, and these were studied at pHs 3, 5, and 7. P(AGA-co-APSA) showed efficient retention of all metal ions at the pHs studied, with a minimum of 60% for Co(II) at pH 3 and a maximum close to 100% at pH 7 for all metal ions. The maximum retention capacity (n metal ion/n polymer) ranged from 0.22 for Cd2+ to 0.34 for Ag+. The antibacterial activity of Ag+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ polymer-metal complexes was studied, and P(AGA-co-APSA)-Cd2+ presented selective antibacterial activity for Staphylococcus aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 2 mu g/mL. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 111: 78-86, 2009