Advanced　oxidation　processes　(AOPs)　for　wastewater　treatment　have　attracted　much　attention　for　their　efficient　capability　in　destroying　persistent　and　toxic　organic　compounds.　In　this　study,　we　reported　a　simple　impregnation-calcination　method　to　fabricate　ZnO　modified　TiO2　(Zn-TiO2)　nanocomposites　and　employed　them　as　catalysts　for　degradation　of　organic　pollutants　in　water.　The　results　show　that　7at%Zn-TiO2　exhibits　much　better　performances　of　photocatalysis,　catalytic　ozonation　and　photocatalytic　ozonation　than　pure　TiO2,　which　could　be　due　to　its　richer　surface　hydroxyl　groups　and　higher　separation　efficiency　of　photogenerated　electron-hole　pairs.　The　total　organic　carbon　(TOC)　removal　efficiency　of　salicylic　acid　(SA)　in　UV/O3/7at%Zn-TiO2　is　higher　than　the　sum　of　those　in　UV/7at%Zn-TiO2　and　O3　processes,　indicative　of　a　synergistic　effect　between　photocatalysis　and　ozonation.　Mechanism　studies　demonstrate　that　the　active　species　such　as　H2O2,　h+,　[rad]OH,　[rad]O2−　and　1O2　are　responsible　for　SA　degradation.　Meanwhile,　the　intermediates　of　SA　mineralization　were　identified　by　HPLC–MS　and　its　mineralization　pathway　was　proposed.　Reusability　test　verifies　a　high　stability　of　7at%Zn-TiO2　in　the　photocatalytic　ozonation　process,　and　the　catalyst　can　be　applied　in　a　wide　pH　range　of　aqueous　solution　from　3.5　to　10.0.　This　work　puts　forward　a　new　application　of　the　easily　available　Zn-TiO2　nanocomposites　and　might　drive　the　advance　of　photocatalytic　ozonation　approach　for　water　purification.　©　2017　Elsevier　B.V.