Bifunctional　electrodes　have　attracted　significant　research　interest　in　the　field　of　heterogeneous　electro-Fenton　(hetero-EF)　process　for　efficient　treatment　of　antibiotic-containing　wastewater.　In　this　study,　etched　graphite　felt　(EGF)　was　used　as　the　matrix　material　because　of　its　excellent　electrochemical　properties,　rich　pore　structure,　and　large　specific　surface　area.　The　transition　metals　Cu　and　Fe　were　in　situ　grown　on　the　EGF　electrode　surface　without　polymer　binder　by　a　one-step　hydrothermal　method.　The　obtained　electrode　consisting　of　Cu-doped　Fe2O3　nanoparticles/EGF　(Cu-Fe2O3/EGF)　was　used　in　the　hetero-EF　process　for　in　situ　electro-generation　and　activation　of　hydrogen　peroxide　(H2O2)　for　efficient　degradation　of　sulfamethoxazole　(SMX).　The　Cu-Fe2O3/EGF　electrode　demonstrated　a　wide　pH　application　range　of　3.0–9.0.　According　to　electron　spin　resonance　and　free-radical　quenching　experiments,　hydroxyl　radical　and　superoxide　anion　were　the　dominant　species　in　the　hetero-EF　process,　while　the　hydroxyl　radical　played　a　major　role　in　the　degradation　of　SMX.　In　consecutive　runs,　the　electrode　exhibited　low　metal　ion　leaching　and　excellent　stability.　Furthermore,　the　possible　mechanism　for　the　production　and　activation　of　H2O2　as　well　as　possible　SMX　degradation　pathways　were　proposed.　The　toxicity　of　SMX　samples　during　degradation　exhibited　a　decreasing　trend　according　to　the　results　of　toxicological　simulation　and　Escherichia　coli　growth　test.　This　study　provides　a　new　strategy　for　the　construction　of　an　efficient　and　stable　bifunctional　cathode　for　the　advanced　treatment　of　antibiotic-containing　wastewater.　©　2021　Elsevier　B.V.