Changes in fluorescence parameters observed during irradiation of the Scenedesmus cells showed that photosystem 2 (PS2) photoinactivation in cells treated with phenolic PS2 inhibitor 2-bromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-4-nitrophenol (BNT) was significantly accelerated in comparison with control and DCMU-treated cells. Moreover, a negligible difference in the rate of PS2 photoinactivation in the absence and presence of chloramphenicol indicated that both DCMU and BNT blocked the PS2 repair process.