Preferential solvation of 1,4-dihydroxy-3-methylanthracene-9,10-dione (DHMAD) has been investigated using optical absorption and fluorescence emission techniques. Optical absorption spectra of DHMAD in different solvents show the intra molecular charge transfer band in the region 400-550 nm. The preferential solvation parameter shows that in dimethyl formamide (DMF)+carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) mixture, the DHMAD is preferentially solvated by DMF in the ground state and in the excited state DHMAD is preferentially solvated by CCl4 in DMF rich region and by DMF in CCl4 rich region. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.