Efficient photocatalytic degradation of herbicide glyphosate in water by magnetically separable and recyclable BiOBr/Fe3O4 nanocomposites under visible light irradiation

•Magnetic BiOBr/Fe3O4 nanocomposites were facilely prepared through a solvothermal process.•BiOBr/Fe3O4 nanocomposites could effectively degrade glyphosate in water under visible light irradiation.•Glyphosate degradation initiates with preferential CN bond cleavage to produce AMPA.•Photo-generated holes were determined to be the dominant reactive species in the photodegradation process.•The developed photocatalysts exhibited remarkable stability and reusability properties.