Titanium dioxide nanotube arrays (*TNTAs) made by anodic oxidation method and irradiated under Co-60-gamma radiation combining with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) irradiated by Co-60-gamma rays as well were investigated for photocatalytic degradation of ethylene in cold storage environment. Rate constant K of degradation was selected to describe the decomposition efficiency of ethylene with the new photocatalytic composite material (AgNPs/rGO-*TNTAs). Microstructure of the materials as prepared were characterized using analytic techniques: Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). We also compared the performance of five photocatalysts (Thermal annealing TNTAs, *TNTAs, rGO-*TNTAs, AgNPs-*TNTAs, AgNPsirGO-*TNTAs) concerning ethylene decomposition. Results showed that AgNPs/rGO-*TNTAs exhibited enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of ethylene compared with rGO-*TNTAs and AgNPs-*TNTAs in photocatalytic process. Photocatalytic activity and structural evolution of photocatalysts irradiated by gamma rays and impact of the photocatalysts properties responsible for enhancing photocatalytic activity were discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.