3-Hydroxyphenyl thiourea(3HPTU) synthesized by the reaction of m-aminophenol and ammonium thiocyanate was reacted with formaldehyde, and the polymer chelate of the three dimensional network structure was obtained. In preparation of the polymer chelates of above structure, 1:2 mole ratio of 3HPTU and formaldehyde was adequate and showed best results in the adsorptivity to the metallic ions. In the study of the adsorptivity to the metallic ions, treatment of the polymer chelates with sodium hydroxide solution showed some improvement in adsorptivity, and the optimum concentration was found to be about 12%. The order of the adsorptivity to metallic ions at pH6 was as follows: Hg⁺⁺>Pb⁺⁺>Cd⁺⁺>Zn⁺⁺>Mg⁺⁺ But at pH3 or the less, the adsorptivity only to Hg⁺⁺ ion was extremely high and the adsorptivity to the other ions except Cd⁺⁺ ion was negligible. Applying these results, this kind of polymers were considered to be used as the polymer chelates with selective adsorptivity. It was also found that these chelates were effectively regenerated by treating with hydrochloric acid and then with sodium hydroxide solution.

m-Aminophenol과 ammonium thiocyanate를 반응시켜 합성한 3-hydroxyphenyl thiourea를 포름알데히드와 반응시켜 3차원 구조의 킬레이트 수지를 합성하고 수산화나트륨의 농도를 다르게 처리하여 활성화시킨 후 원수지와 이들 알칼리 처리수지의 금속이온들에 대한 흡착능을 검토하였다. 수산화나트륨수용액으로 처리한 수지의 Cd⁺⁺이온과 Hg⁺⁺이온에 대한 흡착능을 측정한 결과 원수지보다 현저히 흡착능이 향상됨과 수산화나트륨의 농도는 12%가 적합함을 알았다. 수지 제조시 3-hydroxyphenyl thiourea와 포름알데히드의 몰비는 1:2인 경우가 실험한 모든 금속이온들에 대해 가장 우수한 흡착능을 나타내었다. 금속이온들의 흡착능의 순서는 Hg⁺⁺>Pb⁺⁺>Cd⁺⁺>Zn⁺⁺>Mg⁺⁺이어서 경금속 이온들보다 중금속이온들에 대한 흡착능이 우수하며 Hg⁺⁺이온에 대해서는 현저히 강한 흡착능을 나타내어 Hg⁺⁺이온을 선택적으로 흡착하는 고분자킬레이트임을 알았다. 금속의 흡착에 사용한 수지는 산으로 처리한 후 알칼리로 처리함으로써 재생시킬 수 있음을 확인하였다.