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

A method comprising:

• providing a reaction product of an epoxide-containing (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer, a compound bearing a nitrogen nucleophile, and a hindered amine base;
• wherein the compound bearing the nitrogen nucleophile comprises a polyamine or an aminopolycarboxylic acid,
• wherein the epoxide-containing (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer comprises about 99 wt. % or greater glycidyl methacrylate,
• wherein the epoxide-containing (meth)acrylic polymer or copolymer is formed from glycidyl methacrylate, diethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, and tris(2-(acrylolyloxy)ethyl)isocyanurate, and
• wherein the hindered amine base comprises trimethylamine, triethylamine, N,N-diisopropylethylamine (Hunig's base), 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene (DBN), or 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP);
• exposing a substance in need of contaminant remediation to the reaction product, the substance in need of contaminant remediation comprising at least one contaminant that is a gas or a negatively charged contaminant;
• wherein the reaction product is disposed as a polymer layer when exposed to the substance in need of contaminant remediation;
• adsorbing or bonding the at least one contaminant onto a surface of the reaction product within the polymer layer;
• and
• optionally, recovering the at least one contaminant from the surface of the reaction product.