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A key question in biology is to understand how cells exposed to heavy metals mitigate the metal's toxic effects. In an attempt to answer this question we have been investigating the effects of heavy metals on cells, especially the possible compartmentalization or sequestering mechanism they may have which would reduce the toxic effect.A variety of cyanobacteria (Cyanophyceae) and eukaryotic algae (Chlorophyceae and Bacillarophyceae) were studied to determine if metal binding takes place and if so if the metal is compartmentalized in the cells. Metals used in the study included Ba, Cd, Co, Ca, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn. Cells were exposed to different concentrations of the metal for varying time periods and then air dried onto formvar coated nylon grids. Cells were located using the STEM mode (dark field setting but with a bright field image) of a JOEL U-3 SEM. The SEM was operated at 25 KV and 4X10-10 A beam current.