Due　to　the　potential　threatening　of　antibiotics　in　aqueous　environment,　a　novel　electro-oxidation　(EO)　-　electro-Fenton　(EF)　-persulfate　(PS)　system　with　the　addition　of　peroxydisulfate　and　Fe2+　was　installed　for　the　degradation　of　cefotaxime.　Ti/CNT/SnO2　-Sb-Er　with　an　ultra-high　oxygen　evolution　potential　(2.15　V)　and　enhanced　electrocatalytic　surface　area　was　adopted　as　anode.　The　center　dot　OH　production　and　electrode　stability　test　demonstrated　great　improvement　in　the　electrochemical　performances.　Ni@NCNT　cathode　was　tested　with　higher　H2O2　generation　by　the　presence　of　nitrogen　functionalities　due　to　the　acceleration　of　electron　transfer　of　O-2　reduction.　Experiment　results　indicated　CNT　and　ErO2　modification　increased　the　molecular　and　TOC　removal　of　cefotaxime.　Coupling　processes　of　EO-EF　and　EO-PS　both　resulted　in　shorter　electrolysis　time　for　complete　cefotaxime　removal,　however,　the　mineralization　ability　of　EO-PS　process　was　lower　than　EO-EF,　which　might　result　from　the　immediate　vanishing　of　PS.　Thus,　a　further　improved　treatment　EO-EF-PS　system　achieved　an　81.6%　TOC　removal　towards　50　mg　L-1　cefotaxime　after　4　h　electrolysis,　under　the　optimal　working　condition　Fe2+　=　PS　=　1　mM.　The　influence　of　current　density　and　initial　concentration　on　the　performance　of　all　processes　was　assessed.　Methanol　and　tert-butanol　were　added　in　the　system　as　center　dot　OH　and　SO4　center　dot-　scavengers,　which　illustrating　the　mechanism　of　EO-EF-PS　oxidizing　process　was　the　result　of　the　two　free　radicals.　Major　intermediates　were　deduced　and　the　degradation　pathway　of　cefotaxime　was　analyzed.　This　research　provides　a　potential　coupling　process　with　high　antibiotic　removal　efficiency　and　effective　materials　for　practical　uses.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.