Solid oxide solutions of the type La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 with BET surface areas of 28, 20, 12, and 8 m(2)/g were prepared by sintering at 700, 800, 900, and 1000 degrees C, respectively. The catalysts were tested for methane total oxidation in a fixed bed reactor with feed containing 0.28% CH4, 12% O-2, and the balance helium. The activity of methane at 550 degrees C was found to decrease from 0.7 mu mol/s . g to 0.2 mu mol/s . g with the decrease in the surface area (28 and 8 m(2)/g, respectively) of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3. Temperature programmed desorption studies indicate that the amount of oxygen desorbed on these La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 oxides decreased from 15 to 0.8 mu mol/g with the decrease in the surface area. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies revealed a decrease in the Mn surface concentration for the samples sintered at 700 to 1000 degrees C. The oxidation of methane on La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 was found to correlate with the surface area, i.e., facile, the surface concentration of Mn, and the oxygen properties of the oxides.