The bioaccumulation of metals (Cu2+, Cr6+ Cd2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+) from three electroplating effluents by viable Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the effect of glucose treatment on accumulation was determined. Pretreatment of the yeast cells with glucose increased the amount of metal removed, whilst direct addition of glucose to the yeast-effluent solution had no effect on the amount of metal accumulated.