Molecular recognition based Fe3+ imprinted poly(GMA-MAC) (MIP) beads embedded PHEMA composite cryogel was prepared for selective removal of Fe3+ ions from beta-thalassemia patient plasma. The precomplexation was achieved by the coordination of Fe3+ ions with N-methacryloyl-(L)-cysteine methyl ester (MAC-Fe3+). MIP beads were prepared by dispersion polymerization in the presence of MAC-Fe3+ complex and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) monomer. Then the MIP beads were embedded into poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) cryogel. The specific surface area and the swelling degree of the PHEMA-MIP composite cryogel were found to be 76.8 m2/g and 7.7 g H2O/g cryogel, respectively. The maximum adsorption amount of Fe3+ ions was 2.23 mg/g. The relative selectivity of PHEMA-MIP composite cryogel towards the Fe3+ ions was 135.0, 61.4, and 57.0 times greater than that of the PHEMA-NIP cryogel as compared with the Ni2+, Zn2+, and Fe2+ ions, respectively. PHEMA-MIP composite cryogel was recovered and reused many times without any significant decrease in its adsorption capacity. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012