Agarose gels were superior to calcium-alginate gels for immobilizing Rhodococcus erythropolis CS98 strain to remove cesium from water. Suitable incubation time of the immobilized cells in cesium solutions, cell number in the gels and volume ratio of the cesium solution to the gels for efficient cesium removal were identified. (c) 2013, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.