A laboratory study was carried out to evaluate the protective role of ectomycorrhizal fungi against contamination of plants growing in soil treated with cadmium at a dose of 150 ěg Cd/ g soil. An alginateimmobilized inoculum of mycorrhizal fungi was used to introduce the fungi to the soil. The impact of fungi was examined in terms of changes in cadmium levels in inoculated and non-inoculated seedlings of Pinus sylvestris L. It was found that the concentration of cadmium in plants inoculated with fungi was significantly lower than in non-inoculated seedlings. We also observed that the total concentration of cadmium in contaminated soil inoculated with fungi was lower than in non-inoculated soil.