A process for selectively removing contaminant ions from a solution
includes: a) contacting the solution with magnetic particles coupled to
selectively chelating ion exchange functionality containing moieties
prepared by: i) activating carboxyl groups on the selectively chelating
ion exchange functionality containing moieties by tile formation of an
acyl fluoride, and ii) reacting the acyl fluoride with the magnetic
particles, the magnetic particles having a particle size of less than 10
microns; b) allowing the chelating functionality coupled magnetic
particles to selectively bind one or more of the contaminant ions; and,
c) extracting the chelating functionality coupled magnetic particles and
contaminant ions from the solution by magnetic filtration.