Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli by Bi2O2CO3/Bi3NbO7 composites

► The Bi2O2CO3/Bi3NbO7 composite was in situ fabrication by hydrothermal methods. ► It showed largely enhanced visible-light photocatalytic destruction of E. coli. ► The heterostructures improved the electron-hole separations during photocatalysis. ► h+/OH radicals may be the main oxidative species during photocatalytic destruction.