Three zirconia-supported platinum group metal (Pt, Ru and Pt-Ru) catalysts were prepared by impregnation. The activity of these catalysts toward the oxidative steam reforming of ethanol (OSRE) was examined in a fixed-bed reactor in the temperature range of 260-380 degrees C. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption at - 196 degrees C. Activity results indicated that the optimized experimental conditions involved a reforming temperature of close to 300 degrees C and the molar ratios Of O-2/EtOH and H2O/EtOH of 0.44 and 4.9, respectively. An ethanol conversion (C-EtOH) approaching 100% and a hydrogen yield (Y-H2) exceeding 3.0 mole/mole ethanol were noticed at 280 degrees C over all the catalysts. Among these catalysts, the Pt-Ru/ZrO2 catalyst was an excellent OSRE catalyst at low temperature. The maximum Y-H2 was 4.4 and the CO distribution was 3.3 mol% at 340 degrees C. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.