Role of the radical promoter systems on the degradation of an antipeleptic drug using HO and SO4- species

•Carbamazepine degradation in aqueous solution by HO and SO4− radicals was studied.•CBZ can be degraded by direct photolysis but that the effectiveness is very low.•CBZ photodegradation was 1.26- to 2.0-fold faster with SO4− than with HO radicals.•Fe2+/H2O2 system was 1.1- to 1.7-fold more effective than Fe2+/S2O82− system.•The highest percentage mineralization was obtained with the UV/Fe2+/H2O2.