In　this　work,　Metal-organic　Frameworks　(MOFs)　were　applied　to　inactivate　algae　under　visible　light　with　low　doses.　Five　MOFs　with　different　compositions　(Zn　and　Fe;　carboxylates　or　imidazolates)　were　successfully　synthesized　and　characterized　by　XRD,　SEM　and　UV–vis.　The　effects　of　MOFs　on　Microcystis　aeruginosa　were　evaluated　with　regard　to　morphology　characteristics,　physiological　activity,　cell　integrity　and　pigment　degradation.　The　results　indicated　that　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　outperformed　MOF-235,　ZIF-8,　Bi2WO6/MIL-100(Fe)　and　BiOBr/MOF-5　in　the　degradation　of　chlorophyll　a　at　the　dose　of　10　mg　L−1.　After　6　h　of　irradiation,　93.1%　of　Microcystis　aeruginosa　died　and　was　unable　to　regrow　and　reproduce,　which　was　demonstrated　by　changes　in　cell　morphology,　damage　of　cell　membrane　integrity　and　antioxidant　enzyme　system.　Besides,　the　intracellular　organic　matter　(IOM)　and　extracellular　organic　matter　(EOM)　were　proven　to　be　efficiently　removed　by　MOF-assisted　photocatalytic　inactivation.　Superoxide　radical　(O2·-)　was　demonstrated　to　be　the　major　reactive　oxygen　species.　A　probable　mechanism　was　proposed　that　the　electrons　in　the　valence　band　of　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　transfer　into　the　conduction　band　under　irradiation　to　produce　O2·-　which　inactivated　the　algae　cells.　Furthermore,　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　can　effectively　remove　Microcystis　aeruginosa　under　sunlight　and　is　of　great　application　prospects　for　algae　removal　in　real　water　bodies.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd