Changes in lipid content and fatty acid composition were determined in leaves of two halophytes: Sesuvium portulacastrum and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum exposed to cadmium (Cd). Experiments were carried out using young small-sized plants grown hydroponically (S. portulacastrum) or aseptically germinated seeds (M. crystallinum). Cd treatment was applied at different concentrations (0, 50, 100 and 200microM) for 30 days. At high cadmium doses (200microM), contents of total lipids (TL) and lipid fractions including galactolipids (GL), phospholipids (PL) and neutral lipids (NL) decreased more in M. crystallinum leaves than in S. portulacastrum leaves. Moreover, there were no significant changes in the total fatty acid composition of S. portulacastrum leaves during metal treatment. In contrast, M. crystallinum leaves showed a decrease in the percentage of the tri-unsaturated fatty acid (C18:3), and a corresponding increase in the percentage of di-unsaturated fatty acid (C18:2). These different responses suggested that S. portulacastrum seems to be more feasible for phytoremediation.