Batch experiments were conducted to study the biosorption of phenolic compounds from aqueous solutions by non-living Phanerochaete chrysosporium mycelial pellets. Phenol, 2-chlorophenol (2-CP), 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) were chosen for the biosorption tests. The adsorption equilibrium of phenol and 2-CP, 4-CP and 2,4-DCP from aqueous solutions by mycelial pellets could be well described with Freundlich equation. Their sorption capacity on mycelial pellets was in the order of: phenol << 2-CP < 4-CP << 2, 4-DCP. Their adsorption increased with decreasing water solubility and increasing octanol-water partitioning coefficient. The presence of 2-CP or 4-CP and the initial concentrations of 2-CP or 4-CP had no significant effect on the sorption of 2,4-DCP on fungal mycelial pellets, demonstrating that simple surface adsorption might not be responsible for the adsorption of phenolic compounds. These results suggest that partitioning was largely involved in biosorption mechanisms, and that hydrophobicity might govern the biosorption of phenolic Compounds by fungal mycelia biomass. (C) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.