ZnFe2O4　is　a　promising　photocatalyst　in　the　advanced　oxidation　process　for　wastewater　treatment　due　to　its　unique　electronic　and　magnetic　properties.　Nevertheless,　its　practical　application　is　greatly　restrained　by　the　high　recombination　rate　of　photoinduced　charge　carriers　and　the　leaching　of　metal　ions.　Herein,　carbon-coating　strategy　was　employed　to　advance　ZnFe2O4　photocatalyst　by　virtue　of　the　unique　functionalities　of　carbon　layer.　ZnFe2O4　coated　with　thin　carbon-layer　(ZFO@C)　exhibited　improved　separation　of　photogenerated　charge　carriers　and　increased　utilization　of　ozone,　resulting　in　an　enhanced　photocatalytic　ozonation　of　organic　contaminants.　Meanwhile,　the　carbon　coating　also　inhibited　the　leaching　of　metals,　which　endowed　ZFO@C　with　a　robust　durability　for　wastewater　treatment.　Furthermore,　ZFO@C　was　easily　separated　by　applying　an　external　magnetic　field.　This　study　demonstrates　that　carbon-coated　metal　oxide　semiconductors　should　be　a　promising　catalyst　for　the　remediation　of　organic　pollutants.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd.