Uniform alpha-Fe2O3 nanotubes with small aspect ratio were successfully fabricated by a hydrothermal method. In situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to study the mechanistic details of adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation of naphthalene over the alpha-Fe2O3 nanotubes. A possible degradation mechanism of naphthalene was proposed. (C) 2011 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.