Phosphorous-doped anatase TiO2 powders (P-TiO2) were prepared by rapid microwave hydrothermal method. The resulting materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, DRS and N-2 adsorption. P-doping decreased the band gap and enlarged the surface area of P-doped samples than that of undoped TiO2 samples. Therefore, the photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue (MB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (Tc) experiments showed that the P-TiO2 catalysts, especially the two-steps-controlling products P-TiO2-2, exhibited higher degradation efficiency than the undoped TiO2 and commercial P25 under visible-light irradiation. Hydroxyl radicals (center dot OH) have been confirmed to be the active species during the photocatalytic oxidation reaction. The microwave hydrothermal method confirms to be very suitable for the synthesis of superior visible-light activity P-doped samples. (C) 2014 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.