SO42--doped Zn/Ce/TiO2 nano-materials (Zn/Ce/SO42-/TiO2) were prepared by a sol-gel method. The structures of Zn/Ce/SO42-/TiO2 nano-materials were characterized by Transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray photoelectron (PL) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Gram-negative Escherichia coli (ATCC25922) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC6538) as model organisms, antibacterial activities of nano-materials were tested using inhibition zone method and shaking flask method under visible light irradiation and in the dark. The results show that the materials crystal structure and elemental composition are changed after SO42- doped. Zn/Ce/SO42-/TiO2 exhibit predominant antibacterial activity in the dark and visible light irradiation. The action mechanism of Zn/Ce/SO42-/TiO2 is discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.