A　nanostructured　Cd2Ge2O6　photocatalyst　was　successfully　prepared　by　a　hydrothermal　process.　The　photocatalyst　was　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　UV/vis,　N2　adsorption-desorption,　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　(FTIR)　techniques.　The　photocatalytic　property　of　the　material　was　evaluated　via　the　decomposition　of　benzene　in　the　gas　phase　with　light　illumination　and　was　compared　with　that　of　commercial　titania　(Degussa　P25)　and　Pt/TiO2.　The　electronic　band　structure　of　Cd　2Ge2O6　was　analyzed　by　density　functional　theory　(DFT)　calculation.　Results　reveal　that　the　prepared　Cd2Ge　2O6　has　unique　geometric　and　electronic　properties,　which　in　combination　with　its　superior　textural　properties　makes　it　a　new　semiconductor　photocatalyst　for　environmental　purification　of　benzene　in　air　with　molecular　oxygen　under　ambient　conditions.　It　was　also　found　that　the　Cd2Ge2O6　was　more　active　and　stable　than　TiO2-based　catalysts　in　the　photoc　alytic　decomposition　of　other　volatile　aromatic　pollutants　including　toluene　and　ethylbenzene.　The　enhanced　photocatalytic　performance　of　Cd2Ge2O6　can　be　explained　by　the　special　band　structure,　and　geometric　and　electronic　feature,　in　unison　with　the　high　surface　area　nanoporous　framework.©　2009　American　Chemical　Society.