The use of methanol as an alternative fuel for gasoline or diesel engines increases the unregulated CH 3 OH emission. c-Al 2 O 3 modified with Cu, Mn, Ce, K, Ag, Cu-Mn, Cu-Ce, Cu-Ag or Cu-K (0.5, 1.0, 0.5:0.5, 1.0:1.0 wt% of metal) catalysed the process of methanol incineration. The highest activity reached samples containing 1.0 wt% of silver. Dispersed Ag ? species on Al 2 O 3 served as active species for selective oxidation of CH 3 OH to CO 2 over both Ag/Al 2 O 3 and Cu-Ag/Al 2 O 3. Additionally, the XPS and EPR results revealed the AgO interface between the Ag 2 O and CuO in the Cu-Ag system.