Contaminant remediation with functionalized (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer macroparticulates and systems related thereto

A method comprising:

• exposing a substance in need of contaminant remediation to a plurality of macroparticulates having an average particle size of about 1 mm or more;
• wherein the macroparticulates are free particles and comprise a reaction product of an epoxide-containing (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer and a compound bearing a nitrogen nucleophile comprising at least one amine;
• wherein the epoxide-containing (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer is produced by living polymerization;
• forming contaminant-laden macroparticulates by adsorbing or bonding a contaminant from the substance in need of contaminant remediation onto a surface of the macroparticulates;
• and
• separating the contaminant-laden macroparticulates from the substance in need of contaminant remediation.

A method comprising:

• exposing a substance in need of contaminant remediation to a plurality of macroparticulates having an average particle size of about 1 mm or more;
• wherein the macroparticulates are free particles and comprise a reaction product of an epoxide-containing (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer and a polyamine;
• wherein a first amine group of the polyamine forms a covalent bond to the (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer through opening of an epoxide group, and one or more second amine groups of the polyamine are further modified with one or more functionalities capable of binding at least one contaminant from the substance in need of contaminant remediation;
• forming contaminant-laden macroparticulates by adsorbing or bonding a contaminant from the substance in need of contaminant remediation onto a surface of the macroparticulates;
• and
• separating the contaminant-laden macroparticulates from the substance in need of contaminant remediation.