CaGa2O4 nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning technology. The morphology and structure of as-prepared CaGa2O4 nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Based on the three-flux approximation, the direct band gap of CaGa2O4 nanofibers was estimated from the UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. From the results obtained in the photodegradation experiments, it is observed that the photodegradation of crystal violet can take place under exposure to visible light in aqueous CaGa2O4 dispersions. Mechanistically, crystal violet absorbs visible light radiation and self-sensitizes its own oxidative transformation. At low concentrations of crystal violet, the suitability of Langmuir model to describe the photoadsorption phenomenon has been checked. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.