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• Novel Ag 3 PO 4 /MMO heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully fabricated by in-situ precipitation method. • It was found that •OH and h+ played a main role in the TC degradation progress. • Mechanism for enhanced photocatalytic activity and charge transfer process was proposed. • Aquatic toxicity changes during the photocatalytic process were assessed by C. vulgaris. The photocatalytic performance of Ag 3 PO 4 is severely restricted by the photocorrosion and high charge carrier recombination rate. In order to overcome these defects, a novel Ag 3 PO 4 /calcined Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (APMO) heterostructure photocatalyst was fabricated via in-situ growth of Ag 3 PO 4 particles on the surface of calcined Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (MMO). The crystal structures, morphologies, optical and photoelectrochemical properties of the as-synthesized samples were characterized using various techniques, and its photocatalytic activity for tetracycline (TC) degradation was evaluated under simulated solar light irradiation. Obviously, all the APMO composites demonstrated much higher photocatalytic performances for TC degradation than pure Ag 3 PO 4. Especially, the APMO70 showed the highest photocatalytic activity, which was almost about 49.3 times as high as that of pure Ag 3 PO 4 , and the degradation efficiency was still above 89% after 5 cycles. The improved photocatalytic performance and stability of APMO were ascribed to the efficient charge transfer and strong interfacial contact between Ag 3 PO 4 and MMO. The possible photocatalytic mechanisms involving the charge transfer pathway and reactive species generation during the process of TC degradation were also discussed. Finally, the aquatic toxicity of TC was assessed using Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) as an ecological indicator, and the result suggested that the as-prepared APMO composite can effectively diminish the aquatic toxicity of TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]