Aldehyde-functionalized alpha-Fe2O3/graphitic carbon nitride (alpha-Fe2O3-DBD/g-C3N4) was successfully synthesized through Schiff-based reaction between aromatic aldehydes in 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and -NH2 groups in urea. The 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde around alpha-Fe2O3 were advantageous to in situ growth of graphitic carbon nitride on alpha-Fe2O3 to form the contact interface by chemical bonds and beneficial to the electron transfer, leading to the formation of Z-scheme photocatalytic system. The ce-Fe2O3-DBD/g-C3N4 photocatalysts exhibited a remarkable improvement in the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) compared with bulk g-C3N4. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to the enhanced charge separation efficiency and higher redox potential. This study presents a simple and efficient method to construct all-solid-state Z-scheme photocatalytic system with the formation of tight contact interface and nonmetal materials (aromatic rings) as electron mediators for the removal of complex pollutants. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.