Samples of 8-and a-Al,03-supported molybdena catalyst of various loading levels (0.5-16 wt% MOO,) were prepared by impregnation of the support from a dilute aqueous solution (at pH 6) of ammonium paramolybdate. After drying at 8 1 D "C, they were calcined a t 550 "C for 16 h. The effect of support nature and Mo loading level on surface microstnictural characteristics, namely pbysicochemical identity of the supported Mo-0 species and consequent textural modifications of the calcination products thus yielded, were investigated by means of differential thermal and therrnogravimetric analyses, x-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and N, adsorption. The results obtained show that during the thermal treatment of the impregnated samples the adsorbed paramolybdate anions interact preferentially with the thermally most stable surface OH groups (relatively most basic) which reside at the interior and/or entrances of fine pores of the support. They further show that 8-Al,03 stabilizes the mollybdates loaded at up to 12% level in monolayer-like structures, however a-Al,03 does not do likewise giving waiy to the formation of AI,(MoO& and bulk MOO, at a loading level as low as 4%.~