To point out the effects of culture conditions on phenylurea herbicides (chlortoluron and isoproturon) degradation by five selected fungi and in an attempt to enhance the degradation process, three parameters (initial chemical concentration, amounts of glucose and nitrogen) were varied. The levels of xenobiotics, in the culture media, were monitored by HPLC analysis, after five days of cultivation. The best results were obtained at low initial concentrations (20 mgL^-1 vs 100) and with medium amounts of glucose (5 gL^-1 vs 10) and nitrogen (2.4 mM vs 24). When these two elements were lacking from the culture media, biodegradation was not suppressed, but took place at a lesser extent. Thus, initial chemical concentration and amounts of glucose and nitrogen, in the culture media, were found to strongly influence the level of phenylurea herbicides biodepletion by fungi.

Keywords: Phenylurea; Herbicide; Culture Parameter; Fungi; Degradation; Micromycetes;