Patent ID: 7138462

Claim:
A functionalized polymer for binding a solute or a suite of solutes dissolved in a solution comprising: a polymeric backbone, wherein the polymeric backbone is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylamine, polyallylamine, polyacrylamide, polyethylenimine, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyvinylalcohol, polyvinylacetate, and polypyrrol; and one or more functional groups covalently linked to the polymeric backbone, the one or more functional groups selected to bind to the solute or a suite of solutes, the one or more functional groups selected from the group consisting of a monool derivative, a diol derivative, a triol derivative, a tetraol derivative, a glucarone derivative, a thiol derivative, a dithiol derivative, an alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid derivative, a tartrate derivative, a calixarene derivative, a polypeptide derivative, bisphosphonic acid derivatives, biscarboxylic acid derivatives and bisamide derivatives, bisester derivatives, a monoester derivative, a monoamide derivative, a mixed phosphonic acid/carboxylic acid derivative, an alkylpyridinium derivative, a cyclodextran derivative, an antibody, a Fab fragment of an antibody, a F(ab) 2 of an antibody, an antigen, a cavity of selected size that hosts the solute selectively, a cage-shaped host, guest-host groups, and affinity groups, wherein the functionalized polymer binds to a neutral metalloid or non-metallic solute or a suite of metalloid or non-metallic solutes by one of inclusion and ester or thioester formation.