By performing BET surface area, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and ammonia temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) analyses as well as activity test, this study investigated the characteristics of the sulfated-alumina supported CuO(CuO/sulfated-Al2O3) catalyst and its activity for the oxidative decomposition of both CH4 and (CH3)(2)S-2. Experimental results indicate that the CuO/sulfated-Al2O3 catalyst exhibited a higher activity than CuO/Al2O3 and Pt/Al2O3. XPS and TPR analyses suggest that it might have the functional group of SO4-2 which existed on the surface of the CuO/sulfated-Al2O3 catalyst. The NH3-TPD pattern also reveals that the H2SO4-treatment remarkably enhances the acidity of the catalyst. Therefore, we believe that the substantial increase in activity is attributed primarily to the SO4-2 group on the catalyst surface.