Heterogeneous photocatalysis involving zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofibers (NFs) has emerged as a new promising route for the cost-effective treatment of organic pollutants and the transformation of hazardous substances into benign forms. In general, it involves the development of smart approaches to reduce the harmful effects of highly toxic pollutants, which are difficult to treat. This review presents research that has been focused on the fabrication of electrospun ZnO hybrid NFs and their applications in the photodegradation of different organic pollutants that are discharged into wastewater from textile and other industrial processes. Furthermore, a short discussion on charge transfer mechanisms during photocatalytic reactions is also presented. (C) 2014 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.