Catalytic activity of the Co-Mn-Al mixed oxide catalyst (Co:Mn:Al molar ratio of 4:1: 1) modified with various amounts of potassium (0-3 wt%) was examined in total oxidation of toluene and ethanol. The prepared catalysts were characterized by chemical analysis (AAS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), surface area measurements, temperature programmed techniques (TPR, TPD), voltammetry of microparticles. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The non-modified catalyst was composed of spinel-like Co-Mn-Al mixed oxide as the only XRD crystalline phase. The surface concentrations of metal components obtained by XPS were different from the bulk ones determined by chemical analysis and the segregation of the metal components depended on the actual potassium content. The low K additions changed mainly the surface acid-base properties of the catalyst. According to XRD and voltammetry measurements, Mn oxides segregated from the original spinel-like phase at high concentration of potassium (2.7 and 3.0 wt%); XPS showed an enrichment of the catalysts surface with Mn. The K addition caused significant changes in the catalyst efficiency. The highest conversion in toluene oxidation was achieved with the catalyst containing about 1 wt% K; no reaction by-products were observed beside H2O and CO2. In ethanol oxidation, the catalysts activity gradually increased with increasing potassium content up to about 3 wt% K, but the presence of excess potassium in the Co-Mn-Al catalyst negatively affected formation of reaction by-products: acetaldehyde production steeply increased with potassium concentration higher than 1 wt%. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.