In　this　work,　zeolitic　imidazolate　framework-8　(ZIF-8)　was　successfully　synthesized　by　a　facile　reaction　via　water　and　alcohol　solvents　at　room　temperature.　Additionally,　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　was　successfully　fabricated　by　doping　Ag/AgCl　onto　ZIF-8,　which　were　characterized　by　powder　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　field　emission　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　energy　dispersive　spectrometry　(EDS),　along　with　UV–visible　diffuse　reflectance　spectra　(UV–vis　DRS).　The　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　nanoparticles　exhibited　high　photocatalytic　activity,　durability,　and　efficiency　for　the　degradation　of　methylene　blue　dye　(MB).　The　results　illustrate　that　the　band　gap　of　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　is　lower　than　that　of　ZIF-8,　which　explains　the　enhancement　of　MB　degradation　under　UV　light　irradiation.　The　conditions　affecting　the　photocatalytic　degradation,　including　the　dosage　of　photocatalyst,　the　initial　concentration　of　MB,　pH　value,　and　hardness　of　water　were　systematically　evaluated.　In　addition,　the　photocatalytic　mechanism　was　explored　by　three-dimensional　excitation-emission　matrix　(3D-EEM)　fluorescence　spectroscopy,　the　effect　of　ZnO　to　photocatalytic　activity　was　excluded,　and　a　possible　pathway　of　MB　degradation　was　proposed　by　analysis　of　intermediates　via　liquid　chromatography　in　combination　with　hybrid　quadrupole　time-of-flight　mass　spectrometry　(LC-QTOF-MS).　The　high　photocatalytic　ability　of　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　shows　great　application　potential　for　the　oxidation　of　organic　pollutants　in　water.　©　2018　Elsevier　Ltd