The design and testing as well as theoretical and experimental study involving kinetic modeling and photooxidation reactions of a gas-phase photocatalytic packed bed reactor (PBR) based on a porous titania foam is reported. The photoreactor was designed to incorporate a nanoporous titania foam photocatalyst for volatile organic compound (VOC) remediation in the gas-phase. Theoretical and experimental studies based on the photodegradation of model volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have been carried out and results show that 90% degradation can be achieved in the photoreactor which has been designed at low cost and to provide increased efficiency at elevated pollutant feed. The reactor represents an inexpensive design and can be applied to the remediation of various pollutants of biological, organic or inorganic origin. In addition, the reactor can accommodate the photocatalyst in the form of a thin film and porous foams. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.