Eutrophication　in　water　bodies　has　caused　harmful　algal　blooms　(HABs)　to　occur　worldwide,　resulting　in　significant　impacts　on　both　the　environment　and　human　well-being.　In　this　work,　a　Z-scheme　Ag2MoO4/BiVO4　(AMB)　photocatalyst　with　Ag　as　the　charge　transfer　mediator　was　constructed　by　depositing　Ag2MoO4　on　BiVO4　through　a　simple　in-situ　generation　method　and　characterized　by　various　techniques.　In　addition,　AMB-30%　has　the　best　photocatalytic　performance,　removing　99%　of　chlorophyll　a　within　3　h　and　performing　well　under　different　conditions.　The　physiological　characteristics　of　algal　cells　were　also　investigated.　The　results　showed　that　AMB-30%　could　not　only　destabilize　the　stability,　membrane　permeability　and　physiological　function　of　algal　cells,　but　also　degrade　the　intracellular　organic　matter　leaked　out　from　the　algal　cells,　effectively　avoiding　the　secondary　pollution　of　the　water　body　while　inactivating　algae.　Based　on　the　identification　of　the　active　substance,　the　possible　algal　removal　mechanism　of　Ag2MoO4/BiVO4　under　the　photocatalytic　system　was　further　proposed.　Finally,　the　results　of　the　five-cycle　experiments　and　XRD　characterization　of　AMB-30%　demonstrated　that　it　has　great　recyclability　and　stability,　thus　offering　a　favorable　prospect　in　mitigating　HABs.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd