The presented studies have focused on the influence of TiO 2 properties, such as crystalline phase, crystallite size and surface area, on the effectiveness of degradation of azo dyes in water under UV irradiation. Two monoazo dyes: Acid Red 18 (AR18, C 20 H 11 N 2 Na 3 O 10 S 3 ) and Acid Yellow 36 (AY36, C 18 H 14 N 3 NaO 3 S), and one polyazo dye Direct Green 99 (DG99, C 44 H 28 N 12 Na 4 O 14 S 4 ) were applied as model compounds. The photocatalysts were prepared from a crude titanium dioxide obtained directly from the production line (sulfate technology) at the Chemical Factory "Police" (Poland). The crude TiO 2 was calcinated in air for 1 -4h at the temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 o C. The BET specific surface area of TiO 2 decreased gradually with increasing the calcination temperature. The crude TiO 2 exhibited specific surface area of 277 m 2 /g. In case of the catalysts heated at 600, 700 and 800 o C contained primarily anatase phase (94 -97%), whereas the photocatalysts heated at 800 o C were composed mainly of rutile (97 -99%). The highest effectiveness of azo dyes degradation was obtained in case of the photocatalyst calcinated for 1h at 700 o C. The photocatalyst was composed mainly of anatase (97%) with crystallite size of 27 nm. The most effectively photodegraded was AR18, having the molecular weight of 640.4 g/mol. The most difficult to degrade was AY36 exhibiting the lowest molecular weight from all the dyes used (375.4 g/mol).