The mechanism of lead cation biosorption by acetone-washed biomass of Saccharomyces uvarum was investigated by chemical modifications and spectroscopic monitoring of the cell components. Reacting the carboxyl groups with propylamine, which neutralizes these anions, considerably decreased the metallic ion uptake, indicating that negatively charged carboxyl groups play an important role in lead biosorption due to electrostatic attraction. After lead biosorption the photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed a change in the symmetrical stretch of the carboxylate groups of the acetone-washed yeast biomass, and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy oxygen peak was also found to be shifted. These findings support the hypothesis that lead uptake occurs mainly through binding to the carboxyl group. In X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy the nitrogen peak decreased after the biosorption of lead, suggesting that nitrogen-containing groups are also involved in the biosorption process. Acylation of amino groups was shown to increase the lead biosorption capacity. The acylation reaction converts the positively charged amino group to an amide capable of coordination to lead cations. Deproteination by boiling the biosorbent with NaOH increased the lead uptake. The acetone-washed biomass uptake of lead from an aqueous solution at pH 5.5 was 48.9 mg/g dry weight. Pure chitin adsorbed 48.8 mg lead/g dry weight. Mannan isolated from S. uvarum did not adsorb lead at all. Electrostatic attraction of the carboxyl groups and other anions present in the acetone-washed biomass, and complexation with nitrogen atoms, especially in chitin, appear to be the main mechanisms involved in lead cation biosorption.