Mass losses related to the vaporization/decomposition of myristic acid, either pure or adsorbed on SiO2,gamma-Al2O3, SiO2-Al2O3 and HZSM-5 catalysts were obtained by non isothermal thermogravimetric analysis from room temperature up to 650 degrees C. The adsorption of myristic acid on catalysts greatly changed the mass loss behavior of myristic acid, suggesting a significant decomposition of this fatty acid during heating as compared to its essentially simple volatilization in absence of catalyst. A model -free kinetic was used to estimate the values of apparent activation energy of the mass losses from experiments performed at heating rates of 3, 7, 10 and 15 degrees C min(-1). In absence of a catalyst, myristic acid presented a single mass loss event with an activation energy value of similar to 87-90 kJ mol(-1). In the case of myristic acid adsorbed on SiO2,gamma-Al2O3, SiO2-Al2O3 and HZSM-5 at least two different mass loss events occurred during linear heating, associated to myristic acid volatilization/decomposition. The activation energies calculated for both these events, with the exception of myristic acid adsorbed on silica, exhibited values much higher than 90 kJ mol(-1). The apparent activation energy of the second mass loss events was always higher than that of the first mass loss events. Activation energy of the second mass loss reached a value as high as 190 kJ mol(-1) at which point myristic acid was strongly adsorbed on HZSM-5. Such a high value suggests C C and C H bond ruptures and not only decarboxylation often described as the main reaction path when saturated fatty acids are pyrolyzed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.