BACKGROUNDPhosphates of bivalent, trivalent, or quadrivalent transition metal cations with alkali or alkaline earth ions are promising materials in the field of materials science and technology. Anions-doped phosphate materials have attracted considerable attention due to their potential applications in environmental remediation by degrading organic pollutants to less harmful byproducts. Thus, in the present work nitrogen/sulphur was doped into KMn4(PO4)(3) (KMnPO) to improve its visible light photocatalytic activity. RESULTS or N-doped KMn4(PO4)(3) (KMnPOS or KMnPON) were prepared by a solid state method. The photocatalytic activities of these materials were evaluated by photodegradation of methylene blue, methyl violet and 4-chlorophenol. Quenching studies were carried out to identify the reactive species during the photodegradation of dyes. The photoluminescence properties of phosphate materials were investigated, and the color coordinates were also calculated using CIE 1931 chromaticity. CONCLUSIONThe color coordinates obtained give the information that KMnPO, KMnPON and KMnPOS phosphors were suitable for blue light LEDs. KMnPOS is a novel highly visible light responsive photocatalyst and can be reused at least four times efficiently. The higher photocatalytic activity of KMnPOS can be attributed to its lower electron-hole recombination rate and generation of more (OH)-O-center dot radicals during photoreaction. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry