A simple and rapid method for the determination of metal dispersion of technical catalysts is presented, which is based on temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of pre-adsorbed CO in a continuous-flow reactor at atmospheric conditions. A commercial Pt/Al2O3 diesel oxidation catalyst is studied as an example. In the TPD spectra, desorption of CO as well as CO2 is considered. Furthermore, a pulse adsorption technique is applied to better understand the adsorption-desorption behavior and the oxidation of CO. Metal dispersion based on the TPD methods presented agrees well with data derived from H-2 and CO chemisorption measurements using commercial set-ups. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.