The photodegradation of soluble electroluminescent polymers is one of the greatest problems to be overcome in order to improve their technological applications. Here we will report on preliminary evaluation of the effects of commonly used solvents on the photodegradation of poly(3-methoxy-5-dodecyloxy-p-phenylene-vinylene), MD-PPV. We prepared solutions of similar concentration of MD-PPV in different solvents and recorded the ultraviolet-visible spectra before and after the exposure to a 250 mW/cm(2) light intensity. Also, we prepared cast films with the same solutions (with similar thickness) in order to observe if the solvent also affects the properties of the films. The results showed that the solvent polarity seems to be not the unique factor affecting the photodegradation, since no direct correlation could be made. Among the solvents tested, tetrahydrofuran was the best solvent for preparing films in order to minimize the photodegradation process.