During last years the potential of fungi and yeasts in heavy metal recovery from aqueous solutions is under intensive investigation. Yeast is a low cost product, which in some cases is received in large quantities as a by-product. However, the detailed mechanism of the process of heavy metals recovery by yeasts remains not fully understood. The aim of this work was to investigate the interaction of yeast cells with heavy metals, in particular Cr(VI), under various conditions, with a special reference to the physiological state of intact and dehydrated-rehydrated yeasts and physico-chemical properties of sorption media. Cr(VI) sorption was compared with Cu2+, Cd2+, Zn2+ and Pb2+ sorption by intact and dehydrated C. utilis cells. A toxic effect of Cr(VI), Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb to the intact and dehydrated cells, as well as growing culture was investigated.