Antibiotic　resistance　genes　(ARGs)　are　often　detected　in　secondary　effluents　of　wastewater　treatment　plants.　Nanoscale　zero　valent　iron　(nZVI)　modified　by　Ginkgo　biloba　L.　leaf　extract　(G-nZVI)　as　an　effective　catalyst　exhibited　excellent　activation　of　sodium　persulfate　(PS),　which　could　achieve　higher　removal　efficiency　of　ARGs　than　PS　+　nZVI　system.　However,　the　roles　and　specific　components　of　Ginkgo　biloba　L.　leaf　(Ginkgo　biloba　L.)　for　nZVI　modification　are　still　not　understood.　X-ray　diffraction　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　of　nZVI　and　G-nZVI　indicated　content　of　surface　Fe2+　of　G-nZVI　increased　by　1.66　times.　Under　such　circumstances,　removal　efficiencies　of　genes　were　further　compared　by　two　systems　(G　+　nZVI　+　PS/G-nZVI　+　PS).　However,　the　degradation　efficiencies　of　sul1,　intI1　and　bacterial　16S　rRNA　gene　did　not　significantly　differ.　Therefore,　the　role　of　Ginkgo　biloba　L.　extract　was　probably　to　increase　active　sites　of　nZVI　by　electron　transfer,　but　not　to　prevent　agglomeration　of　nZVI.　Additionally,　the　findings　of　electron　spin　resonance　elucidated　that　PS　could　be　activated　by　Ginkgo　biloba　L.　extract　to　produce　radicals.　Notably,　metabolic　interactive　pathways　(iPath)　showed　that　there　were　accumulated　lipids　in　nZVI,　which　may　arise　electron　transfer　and　redox　reactions.　Additionally,　the　seven　significantly　down　regulation　metabolites　might　reduce　the　Fe3+　to　Fe2+　and　became　the　most　important　contributors　to　modify　nZVI.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.