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[Display omitted] • PVA/GO@PMPC nanofibrous membranes were prepared and used for removal of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. • The maximum adsorption capacity was reached at pH = 7.0. • Adsorption mechanism involved hydrogen bonding interactions, π-π interactions and electrostatic interactions. • The developed nanofibrous membranes displayed excellent reusability. In this study, zwitterionic polyelectrolyte brushes poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) were grafted on poly (vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide (PVA/GO) nanofibrous membranes by surface-initiated activators generated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP). The obtained PVA/GO@PMPC nanofibrous membranes were used as adsorbents for removal of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. The membrane prepared with the most amount of GO in the electrospinning solution and the highest MPC concentration during grafting polymerization displayed the largest adsorption amount of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (245.6 mg/g). Within 15 h, the adsorption achieved equilibrium, and the removal process agreed well with pseudo-second-order kinetic model. At pH = 7.0, the maximum adsorption capacity was attained, and the adsorption capacity increased gradually with temperature. Study on adsorption mechanism revealed that π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding interactions and electrostatic interactions might be involved for removal of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. After being repeatedly used for six times, binding affinity of the membrane did not change significantly. This study provided a general method for creating nanofibrous membranes with superior adsorption performance for removal of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]