In this study, Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/BaO/Al2O3 metallic monoliths were used to investigate the effect of BaO in C2H4 and CO oxidation as well as in NO reduction. A FT-IR gas analyser was used to study the activity of the catalysts. Several activity experiments carried out with dissimilar feedstreams revealed that BaO enhances CO and C2H4 oxidation as well as NO reduction reactions in rich conditions. This effect is due to BaO, which causes a decrease in the ethene poisoning of palladium. In lean conditions BaO is present in the form of Ba(OH)(2) which reacts with oxidised NO releasing water. Therefore, NO was stored during the lean reaction. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.