Bismuth-related nanomaterials have received much attention as potential promising photocatalysts for both solar energy conversion and environment remediation because of their efficient photocatalytic activity, high stability, low cost and nontoxicity. And their photocatalytic performances are closely related with the phase, morphology, structure, size, band gap, surface area, crystallinity, rate of the charge transfer, efficiency of charge separation and so on. This article reviews the state-of-the-art research process in nanostructured bismuth-containing photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants, photocatalytic water splitting, photo reduction and oxidation of air pollutants and heavy metal ions removal. We begin with a survey of the photocatalytic application of various single-component bismuth-related nanomaterials for environment remediation. To improve the photocatalytic efficiency of bismuth-related nanomaterials, many of the most recent advances in photocatalysis have been realized by selective control of the morphology and structure of nanomaterials or by constructing composited materials with other semiconductors or by doping with different elements, which could facilitate the transfer and the separation efficiency of the photo-generated electrons and holes and/or reconstruct the band gap of the photocatalysts. Therefore, we also discuss the current scientific and technological strategies for enhancing photocatalytic activity of bismuth-related nanomaterials.

Hierarchical Bi_3.64Mo_0.36O_6.55/Bi₂MoO₆ heterostructures displayed enhanced photocatalytic activity for dye photodegradation due to efficient electron–hole separation and interfacial hole migration from inner Bi_3.64Mo_0.36O_6.55 layer to outer Bi₂MoO₆ layer.

Defect clusters facilitate ¹O₂ production for molecular oxygen activation in photocatalysis.