The kinetics of the selective catalytic reduction of NO in the presence of vanadium loaded carbon-based catalysts has been studied, by means of different techniques, such as transient response analysis, temperature programmed desorption and DRIFT spectrometry. The results point out to a reaction mechanism involving adsorbed species of ammonia, which react with the NO from the gas phase. The role of oxygen will be the regeneration of the spent catalytic sites. Finally, the Mars van Krevelen kinetic model was successfully used to fit the experimental data. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.