The objective of this work was to evaluate the removal of ibuprofen (IBP) using the oxidants hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and sodium persulfate (Na 2 S 2 O 8 ). The ability of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) to activate persulfate (PS) and H 2 O 2 for the oxidation of IBP at near neutral pH was evaluated as well. The use of soluble Fe 2+ to activate H 2 O 2 and Na 2 S 2 O 8 was also investigated. H 2 O 2 and Na 2 S 2 O 8 were inactive during the sixty-minute experiments when used alone. However, activation using Fe 2+ increased the removal to 95% in the presence of H 2 O 2 (Fenton reaction) and 63% in the presence of Na 2 S 2 O 8 at pH 6.6. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was also greater for Fenton oxidation (65%) than for iron-activated PS oxidation (25%). Activation of H 2 O 2 and PS by Fe 3 O 4 was only observed at a high oxidant concentration and over 48 h of reaction time. A second order rate kinetic constant was determined for H 2 O 2 (3.0 * 10 − 3 M − 1 s − 1 ) and Na 2 S 2 O 8 (1.59 * 10 − 3 M − 1 s − 1 ) in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 . Finally, several of the degradation products formed during oxidation of IBP in the presence of H 2 O 2 and Na 2 S 2 O 8 (activated by Fe 2+ ) were identified. These include oxalic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, 4-acetylbenzoic acid, 4-isobutylacetophenone (4-IBAP) and oxo-ibuprofen.