The photocatalytic degradation of diesel by solar light-driven floating BiOI/EP composites

•One efficient photocatalysis nanocomposites were synthesized by a one-pot simple solvothermal synthesis method.•As a floating photocatalytic material, this nanocomposite is synthesized by depositing one metal semiconductor (BiOI) on the surface of expanded perlite (EP), with high performance of light, low-cost, high photocatalytic efficiency and low biocytoxicity.•This nanocomposite could be reused for the degradation of diesel at least five times.