The Ag2O/Ag2CO3/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNTs) composite photocatalysts were prepared by calcination of the obtained precipitate. The structures and morphology of as -prepared composite photo catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Ag2O/Ag2CO3/MWNTs composite photocatalysts exhibit higher degradation rate of ciprofloxacin (CIP) than the pure Ag2CO3, Ag2O/Ag2CO3 and Ag2CO3/MWNTs under visible light irradiation. The amount of loaded Ag2CO3 onto MWNTs and calcined time for Ag2CO3/MWNTs were systematically investigated, and the optimal amount of loaded Ag2CO3 and calcined time of Ag2CO3/MWNTs are 150 wt% and 10 min, respectively. The highest photocatalytic degradation rate of CIP could reach 76% under optimal conditions. The active species trapping experiments were also analyzed, the results show that the holes are main contributor for the degradation processes of CIP, furthermore the electrons, O-center dot(2)- and (OH)-O-center dot are also crucially influenced the photocatalytic degradation processes of CIP. The possible photocatalytic processes of CIP with Ag2O/Ag2CO3/MWNTs composite photocatalyst are also proposed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.