As　more　and　more　pharmaceutically　active　compounds　(PhACs)　have　been　found　in　the　aquatic　environment　in　recent　years,　the　risks　they　pose　to　human　health　cannot　be　neglected.　In　this　work,　an　innovative　S-scheme　AgBr/BiOBr　photocatalyst　for　carbamazepine　(CBZ)　degradation　was　synthesized　using　a　simple　precipitation　approach.　XRD,　SEM,　XPS,　UV–vis,　PL,　TPR,　and　EIS　were　employed　to　analyze　the　samples＇　crystal　structure,　morphology,　chemical　state,　optical,　and　electrochemical　properties.　The　effectiveness　of　the　photocatalyst　was　also　demonstrated　through　experiments,　where　a　removal　efficiency　of　99.64　%　was　achieved　under　visible　light　for　CBZ　degradation　using　AgBr/BiOBr　10　wt%.　Furthermore,　photocatalytic　cycling　experiments,　XRD　characterization　and　cation　exposure　tests　revealed　that　as-prepared　photocatalysts　had　high　reusability　and　stability.　The　intermediates　were　identified　by　HPLC-MS　to　reveal　the　possible　degradation　pathways　of　CBZ.　The　biological　toxicity　of　CBZ　and　its　degradation　intermediates　was　also　evaluated　using　the　Vibrio　fischeri　luminescent　bacteriological　method　and　the　toxicological　calculation　software.　The　findings　of　quenching　experiments　and　ESR　analyses　indicated　that　·O2−　and　h+　were　the　principal　reactive　species.　The　photoelectron　transfer　mechanism　of　AgBr/BiOBr　photocatalyst　was　proposed　as　well.　Overall,　the　synthesized　photocatalysts　are　promising　to　provide　a　new　insights　into　CBZ　removal　in　the　aqueous　environment.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd