NO is the primary product of the oxidation of char nitrogen, and in some combustion processes the NO can be reduced on the char surface to give N2O and/or N-2 In this study a range of bituminous coals (low, medium and high volatile matter content) were pyrolysed in a fixed bed reactor at various heating rates. Textural characterisation was carried out by measuring true (He) and apparent (Hg) densities and N-2 (-196 degrees C) and CO2 (0 degrees C) adsorption isotherms. Pore volume distributions and surface areas were obtained for the chars studied. A thermogravimetric analyser coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer (TG-MS) was used to study the combustion behaviour of the samples and the nitrogen compounds evolved during temperature-programmed combustion. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of both textural properties and reactivity on NO emissions and on the heterogeneous reduction of NO.