The reversed-flow inverse gas chromatographic method was used to study the local adsorption parameters of the action of five hydrocarbons on one hand, namely, ethane, ethene, ethyne, propene and 1-butene and of ozone, on the other, on two known and widely used oxides, CaO and SiO2, respectively. Five physicochemical parameters concerning adsorption have been obtained for each of 20 heterogeneous systems studied, namely local adsorption energy, local adsorption isotherm, local monolayer capacity, probability density function for adsorption energies and energies from lateral interactions. Thus, the RF-IGC method is engaged to provide a new pathway for heterogeneous surface characterization, which is the basis of many scientific investigations and technological applications. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.