A new potential oxidation process is provided by CuFe2O4/hydroxylamine (HA) system for degradation of antibiotics in water. The CuFe2O4/HA system can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The addition of radical scavengers, including benzoquinone (BQ) and catalase (CAT), inhibited the oxidation of SMX in CuFe2O4/HA system. Electron transfer in the CuFe2O4/HA system played a key function for the generation of ROS and the degradation of SMX. The main ROS, was the superoxide radical (O2 •–) mainly generated from adsorbed oxygen (O2(A)), which came from the oxidation of the lattice oxygen (O2– (L)) in CuFe2O4. The CuFe2O4/HA system was effectively applicable for a broad pH range (approximately 5–10). In addition, the activation mechanism for CuFe2O4/HA system was studied with the target contaminant SMX. Finally, the degradation pathways of SMX were proposed under the optimal conditions in CuFe2O4/HA system.

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