Binary and ternary mixed oxide of Y/Fe/Ti with homogeneous distribution of yttrium and iron oxides into TiO2 has been prepared by sol-gel method using metal alkoxide precursors in presence of acid-base catalysts. The structural features Of Y2O3/Fe2O3/TiO2, mixed oxide fired at 550 ° C have been investigated by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, AFM, XPS and surface area measurements. A preliminary investigation of photocatalytic activity of mixed oxide on EDTA photo-oxidation showed that Y/Fe/Ti is more photoactive than pure TiO2. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.