Alumina-copper oxide supports can be obtained by cogelation yielding uniformly sized spheres with high surface areas and unimodal mesoporosity, that can be employed as supports for Pd catalysts obtained by impregnation. These are characterized by SEM, XRD, BET, H-2 chemisorption and TPR, and can be successfully used in the hydrogenation of nitrate (nitrite) in water with minor ammonia formation.