Pollution　from　extensive　sulfonamide　antibiotic　use　is　a　critical　research　focus,　particularly　in　the　remediation　of　these　antibiotics　using　composite　materials.　This　study　employed　a　CuFe2O4/ZIF-8　composite　to　activate　sodium　percarbonate　(SPC)　for　the　photo-Fenton-like　degradation　of　the　sulfonamide　antibiotic　sulfamethoxazole　(SMX).　The　optimal　conditions　for　SMX　degradation　were　determined　using　the　CuFe2O4/ZIF-8/SPC/Vis　system:　a　ZIF-8　composite　ratio　of　40　%,　catalyst　dosage　of　0.15　g/L,　SPC　concentration　of　0.8　mM,　and　initial　pH　of　3.0,　achieving　complete　SMX　removal　within　30　min.　After　five　cycle　tests,　the　leaching　rates　of　copper　and　iron　ions　were　0.179　mg/L　and　0.376　mg/L,　respectively,　significantly　lower　compared　to　the　use　of　CuFe2O4　alone　as　the　catalyst　(Cu:　0.46　mg/L,　Fe:　1.43　mg/L).　The　radicals　present　in　the　system　were　identified,　with　their　contribution　rates　ranked　from　highest　to　lowest　as　follows:　·OH　＞　h+＞　·O2–　＞　CO3·-　＞　1O2.　Further　mechanistic　investigations　revealed　that　the　heterogeneous　structures　in　CuFe2O4/ZIF-8　enhanced　the　efficiency　of　the　photo-Fenton-like　reaction　by　facilitating　electron　transfer.　This　study　introduced　an　innovative　approach　for　antibiotic　treatment　using　the　CuFe2O4/ZIF-8　composite　under　visible　light　irradiation　and　broadened　the　technical　framework　of　SPC-based　advanced　oxidation　processes　(AOPs)　for　treating　wastewater.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.