Immobilized Microcystis aeruginosa in a flow-through sorption column was evaluated for the potential to remove Pb2+ Cd2+ and Hu(2+) from aqueous solutions. M. aeruginosa showed high affinity for the three heavy metals with removal efficiency of 90% for Cd2+ and Hg2+, and 80% for Pb2+ at saturation conditions. Competitive sorption experiments conducted in paired and ternary systems indicated that Pb2+, was sequestered preferentially over Cd2+ and Hg2+. The presence of Cd2+ interfered only slightly with the uptake of Hg2+, as Ph2+ and Hg2+ did with Cd2+ In contrast, H sorption was affected by Pb2+ to a great extent. Desorption with I M HCl was completed within 25 min with high efficiency and effectiveness for the three metals. The results of this study indicate that M. aeruginosa is to be a potential biosorbent material except when Hg2+ and Pb2+ are in the same contaminated solution. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.