A short review is presented on the authors, investigations on the influence of the crystal structure and the morphology on the sorption ability and photocatalytic activity under UV-irradiation of thin TiO2 films produced by spray-deposition process. Commercially available TiO2 (Degussa P25 and Tronox), titania modified by mechanoactivation as well as TiO2 doped with gold and, mainly, with lanthanides (produced by sol-gel process or from mixed-metal citric complexes) are used as starting materials. Organic dyes, phenol, oxalic acid and pesticides were used as model pollutant. Conclusions are drawn for the effect on the photocatalytic activity of films morphology, anatase content, substrate chemical nature, deposition conditions (temperatures of deposition and post-deposition annealing, suspension medium nature, additives presented and its ultrasonic treatment), type of titania used and its modification by mechanochemical treatment and by doping with gold or lanthanides (lanthanum, gadolinium and neodymium). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.