In this work, comprehensive investigation was done on the oxygen partial pressure-dependent behavior of the various catalysts using a flow-type plasma-driven catalyst (PDC) reactor. These data provide a useful guideline for the optimization of the cycled system using adsorption and the O-2 plasma-driven catalysis of adsorbed volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The potentials of the tested catalysts for the cycled system were evaluated based on the enhancement factor and the adsorption capability. All the tested materials (TiO2, gamma-Al2O3, zeolites) exhibited positive enhancement factor, while negative values with the dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) plasma alone. TiO2 catalysts showed the highest enhancement factor of about 100 regardless of the type of metal catalysts and their supporting amount. Based on the experimental findings in this study and the literature information, a plausible mechanism of plasma-driven catalysis of VOCs was suggested. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.