In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) powder was coated onto the surface of a dendritic silver (Ag) carrier to synthesize TiO2/Ag for decolorizing Procion red MX-5B (MX-5B), and related operation factors were also studied. The results showed that even without ultraviolet-A (UVA) irradiation, the Ag carrier from the TiO2/Ag catalyst had oxidizing ability, which could effectively degrade MX-5B color, but TiO2 was ineffective. In addition, TiO2 from TiO2/Ag demonstrated photocatalysis performance when irradiated, and the Ag carrier further showed an electron-scavenging ability to mitigate electron-hole pair recombination, which can improve the photocatalytic efficacy. With the oxidization and electron-scavenging ability of Ag and the photocatalysis ability of TiO2, TiO2/Ag can decolor MX-5B more efficiently than TiO2. The heavier Ag carrier also improves the solid-liquid separation of nano-TiO2, making TiO2/Ag more suitable for application in slurry systems of photocatalytic water treatment. When the TiO2/Ag coating ratio was 50% by weight, there was a sufficient amount of TiO2 on Ag's surface with a good distribution, and it exhibited a good photocatalysis decolorizing effect. In a study of how operational factors impact the decolorizing of MX-58 in the TiO2/Ag photocatalysis system with UVA irradiation (UVA-TiO2/Ag), the decolorization efficiency was optimal when the solution was maintained at pH 6.35. The addition of 0.01 M hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) aided the photocatalysis decolorization efficiency, although excessive H2O2 reacted with hydroxyl free radicals and decreased the active groups in the system, thereby reducing the photocatalysis activity. An operating temperature of 40 degrees C was conducive to MX-5B decolorization, which was better than operating at room temperature. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.