Perovskite-type LaCoO 3Àx (x ¼ 0$0:075) porous powder was synthesized via citrate sol-gel method. With calcination temperature increasing, its crystal structure changed from LaCoO 3 to LaCoO 2:925 with the increase in oxygen vacancy. The synthesized LaCoO 3Àx contains a large amount of adsorbed oxygen on its surface due to the existence of oxygen vacancy to some extent. Dye degradation activity of LaCoO 3Àx in methyl orange solution was investigated both under the visible light irradiation (>400 nm) and in the dark. LaCoO 3Àx exhibited dye degradation activity in the dark when being preserved in methyl orange solution for a long time caused by the reducibility of Co 3þ in LaCoO 3Àx , and then dye molecule was oxidized gradually and slowly. The degradation rate was improved under the visible light due to the optical property of LaCoO 3Àx in visible light region. After degradation, methyl orange molecule may be decomposed to acetate group in a small amount. After use for a long time, some Co 3þ was reduced to Co 2þ accompanied by the formation of oxygen vacancy, and then LaCoO 3 transformed to LaCoO 2:925 gradually. For LaCoO 3Àx calcined at 800 C, LaCoO 3Àx perovskite skeleton structure was stable, and can be reused in recycle dye degradation.