Nanocrystalline TiO 2 was synthesized using the microwave plasma technique and characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analyzer, UV-vis spectroscopy and BET surface area analyzer. The synthesized TiO 2 powder crystallized in anatase phase and the crystallite sizes were in nanometers. The photocatalytic activity of the compound was determined and compared against the activity of the commercial Degussa P-25 TiO 2 catalyst. The degradation rates of the dyes were found to be higher over the synthesized TiO 2 as compared to that over commercial Degussa P-25 TiO 2. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010.