Biosorption of nickel(II) ions from aqueous solution onto Sargassurn wightii has been studied and the equilibrium isotherms were determined. The experimental data obtained at different pH conditions (pH 3.0-4.5) have been analyzed using five two-parameter models (Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich and Flory-Huggins) and five three-parameter models (Redlich-Peterson, Sips, Khan, Radke-Prausnitz and Toth). In order to determine the best fit isotherm, three error analysis methods were used to evaluate the data: correlation coefficient, residual root mean square error and chi-square test. The error analysis demonstrated that the three-parameter models better described the nickel biosorption data compared to two-parameter models. In particular, Toth equation provided the best model for nickel biosorption data at all pH conditions examined. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.