Styrene–Divinyl Benzene Copolymers: Synthesis, Characterization, and Their Role in Inorganic Trace Analysis

Styrene–divinyl benzene copolymers are widely used in inorganic trace analysis for solid-phase extraction preconcentration as well as other fields of application. These include nascent, ionic, and chelate incorporated polymeric materials. Furthermore, the chelate incorporation usually is achieved by surface sorption or by grafting via chemical immobilization and in situ polymerization. This review covers various synthetic approaches adopted by various researchers since 1990. Again, the chemical and morphological characterizations of styrene–divinyl benzene copolymers are also discussed. Finally, a critical account of these polymers in trace analysis of various mono- and multielement analysis of inorganics is brought out in a nutshell.