Commercial　nanosized　zero-valent　copper　(nZVC)　was　used　as　persulfate　(PS)　activator　in　combination　with　ultrasonic　irradiation　(US)　for　the　oxidative　degradation　of　typical　antibiotic　sulfamethazine　(SMZ)　in　this　study.　Compared　with　other　processes,　the　combined　nZVC-PS-US　process　significantly　enhanced　SMZ　removal　due　to　a　synergistic　interaction　between　sonolysis　and　a　heterogeneous　reaction.　Almost　complete　SMZ　removal　was　achieved　within　60　min　using　a　PS　dose　of　0.5　mM　and　a　nZVC　concentration　of　64　mg/L　at　pH　3.06,　with　US　at　0.4　W/mL　and　40　kHz.　The　presence　of　NO3-,　SO42-,　HCO3-,　Cl-　and　humic　acid　demonstrated　adverse　effects　on　SMZ　degradation.　Moreover,　the　inhibitory　effect　of　different　inorganic　anions　on　SMZ　degradation　followed　the　sequence　of　HCO3-　＞　SO42-　＞　NO3-　＞　Cl-　＞　no　salt.　Electron　spin　resonance　and　radical　scavenging　tests　indicate　that　the　primary　reactive　species　was　SO4　center　dot-,　while　center　dot　OH　played　a　less　important　role.　Cu+　is　an　active　copper　species　in　activating　PS.　The　production　of　Cu+　and　Cu2+　induced　by　Cu-0　and　US　favored　the　continuous　decomposition　of　PS　as　well　as　the　production　of　SO4　center　dot-　at　the　surface　of　nZVC.　Nine　intermediates　were　identified　and　four　oxidation　pathways　were　proposed,　the　aniline　moiety　oxidation,　SO2　extrusion/smile-type　rearrangement　and　S-N　bond　cleavage　were　the　major　pathways.　Practicality　and　effectiveness　of　nZVC-PS-US　was　confirmed　when　other　organic　micro-pollutants　and　SMZ　added　to　raw　waters　were　tested.　The　findings　reported　here　offer　promising　implications　in　developing　the　utilization　of　nZVC　in　advanced　oxidation　for　treatment　of　wastewater.