The electrochemical properties of gold, platinum and gold-platinum alloy electrodes under different heat treatment conditions have been studied in 0.5 M H2SO4 and 0.5 M NaOH. The electro-oxidation of 0.1 M ethylene glycol in 0.5 M NaOH at these electrodes has also been studied. It was found that all the gold-platinum electrodes are more active for ethylene glycol electrooxidation than both pure gold and platinum, and that the gold platinum electrodes in the solid solution condition are more active than the two-phase electrodes. Poisoning of all the electrodes occurs during electrolysis of ethylene glycol at a fixed potential. Potential pulsing is successful in removing the poisoning species formed at the pure gold and pure platinum electrodes. High apparent current densities are found during the first few cycles at the Au-Pt alloy electrodes. These high current densities are also associated with more severe poisoning - than at both pure gold and platinum - and longer cleaning cycles are needed to remove the poisons at these electrodes. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.