A BiVO4-graphene photocatalyst was prepared by a facile one-step hydrothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FUR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The results show that the graphene sheets in this catalyst are exfoliated and decorated by leaf-like BiVO4 lamellas. In comparison with the pure BiVO4 catalyst. the BiVO4-graphene system reveals much higher photocatalytic activity for degradation of methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), Rhodamine B (RhB) and active black BL-G in water under visible light irradiation due to the concerted effects of BiVO4 and graphene sheets or their integrated properties. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.