Two strains of yeast cells, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 834) and S. cerevisiae (ATCC 24858), were tested in order to investigate the characteristics of cadmium uptake. These cells are usually used for the production of L-phenylacetyl carbinol (L-PAC) and ethanol, respectively. S. cerevisiae (ATCC 834) cells were smaller than S. cerevisiae (ATCC 24858) cells. Thus, the specific surface area of the strain S. cerevisiae ATCC 834 was much larger than that of S. cerevisiae ATCC 24858. The outer mannan layer of S. cerevisiae (ATCC 834) cells was thicker than that of S. cerevisiae (ATCC 24858). Cadmium ions could not penetrate into the cytoplasm of S. cerevisiae (ATCC 834) cells, although cadmium ions were found in the cytoplasm of S. cerevisiae (ATCC 24858) cells after adsorption for 24h. The specific cadmium uptake by S. cerevisiae (ATCC 834) for 1h was twice that of S. cerevisiae (ATCC 24858). The thicker mannan layer and the larger specific surface layer seemed to bestow a larger cadmium uptake capacity on the strain S. cerevisiae ATCC 834. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.