Iron-based　catalysts　have　been　widely　used　to　treat　refractory　organic　pollutants　in　wastewater.　In　this　paper,　magnetic　Co-γ-Fe2O3　was　synthesized　by　a　facile　tartaric　acid-assisted　hydrothermal　method,　and　Co-γ-Fe2O3/MoS2　nanocomposite　catalyst　was　obtained　via　in　situ　growth　of　MoS2　nanosheets　on　Co-γ-Fe2O3　nanoparticles.　The　nanocomposite　catalysts　were　used　to　decompose　bisphenol　A　(BPA)　by　activating　peroxymonosulfate　(PMS).　It　was　shown　that　only　0.15　g/L　catalyst　and　0.5　mmol/L　PMS　degraded　10　mg/L　of　BPA　(99.3%　within　10　min)　in　the　pH　range　of　3–9.　PMS　was　activated　due　to　redox　cycling　among　the　pairs　Co(III)/Co(II),　Fe(III)/Fe(II),　and　Mo(VI)/Mo(IV).　Quenching　experiments　and　electron　paramagnetic　resonance　spectroscopy　demonstrated　that　both　radical　and　non-radical　pathways　were　involved　in　BPA　degradation,　in　which　active　radical　sulfate　radical　and　non-radical　singlet　oxygen　were　the　main　reactive　oxygen　species.　Ten　intermediates　were　identified　by　liquid　chromatography-coupled　mass　spectrometry,　and　three　possible　BPA　degradation　pathways　were　proposed.　The　toxicity　of　several　degradation　intermediates　was　lower,　and　Co-γ-Fe2O3/MoS2　exhibited　excellent　reusability　and　could　be　magnetically　recovered.　[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.].　©　2024,　The　Author(s).