Results of a series of experiments(on the adsorption of divalent metal ions by dried alginic acid, Na and Ca alginates of different composition and block structure) conducted in this systematic study of the effects of the composition and structure of alginates on the static adsorption equilibrium of divalent metal ions indicate that the properties of alginate adsorption to divalent metal ions are highly different, depending not only on the cations used, but also on the form and structure of the alginates. There is close correlation between the adsorption properties and the structure of the alginates. The selectivity coefficient of Na alginate for Cd-Sr ion exchange tends to increase with the increase of the M/G ratio in alginate, whereas the adsorption capacity of Ca alginate for Cu~(2+) ion decrease with the increase of the G-block or the average length of the G-block ((?)_G) and the total adsorption capacity of alginic acid is found to vary in the same order as the F_(MM)(diad frequency) in alginate in Results of a series of experiments (on the adsorption of divalent metal ions by dried alginic acid, Na and Ca alginates of different composition and block structure) conducted in this systematic study of the effects of the composition and structure of alginates on the static adsorption equilibrium of divalent metal ions indicate that the properties of alginate adsorption to divalent metal ions are highly different, depending not only on the cations used, but also on the form and structure of the alginates. There is close correlation between the adsorption properties and the structure of the alginates. The selectivity coefficient of Na alginate for Cd-Sr ion exchange tends to increase with the increase of the M / G ratio in alginate, the adsorption capacity of Ca alginate for Cu ~ (2+) ion decrease with the increase of the G-block or the average length of the G-block ((?) _G) and the total adsorption capacity of alginic acid is found to vary in the same order as the F_ (MM) (diad freque ncy) in alginate in