A microtitre plate-based method was developed for a fast screening of numerous fungal strains for their ability to decolourise textile dyes. In 3 days, this method allowed to estimate significant fungal decolourisation capability by measuring the absorbance decrease on up to ten dyes. More than 325 white-rot fungi (WRF) strains belonging to 76 fungal genera were compared with regards to their capability to decolourise five azo and two anthraquinone dyes as well as the dyes mixture. The most recalcitrant dyes belonged to the azo group. Several new species unstudied in the bioremediation field were found to be able to efficiently decolourise all the dyes tested. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.