The influence of the organic fuel (ethylene glycol, citric acid and ethanol) and calcinations temperature on the characteristic and photo catalytic activity of ZnWO4 nanopowders prepared by combustion synthesis have been studied. The pure crystalline zinc tungstate nanoparticles were obtained after calcination at 600 oC independently on the used organic fuel. The highest specific surface area of 23,4 m2/g and 27,4 m2/g and the smallest crystallite size of 38 nm and 24 nm were obtained using ethylene glycol with HNO3 and ethanol without HNO3 additive respectively. ZnWO4 nanoparticles with the smallest crystallite size exhibited the higher photodegradation activity of methylene blue under UV irradiation.