This study shows that mesoporous MCM-41 compounds, that have hexagonal-close-packed channels, are good candidates as micro-reactors for fume catalytic incineration reactions. MCM-41 is synthesized and used as a catalyst to incinerate normal heptane (nC7) at different temperatures and equivalence ratios (phi). Destruction and removal efficiency (DRE, 99.99%) of heptane is achieved at 500 degreesC and phi=0.85 using MCM-41 as a catalyst compared to 73.45% under the same conditions without the catalyst. Even 99.9% DRE of heptane is achieved at 450 degreesC. The number and quantity of some analyzed products of incomplete combustion (PIC) are dramatically decreased when using MCM-41 material. No coke formation occurs. Under fuel-rich conditions, virtually complete consumption of oxygen molecules occurred at 450 degreesC when using MCM-41 compared to 75% in thermal incineration at the same conditions. While MCM-41 improves DRE at high temperature, e.g. 450 degreesC, it worsens it dramatically at lower ones, e.g. 300 degreesC. This inhibition of destruction effect depends also on the equivalence ratio of the mixture. It seems that diffusion properties and the chromatographic effect of MCM-41 channels become important at low temperatures. The enhanced DRE of heptane, upon using MCM-41, at relatively low temperatures, 450 degreesC, suggests that MCM-41 channels act as nano-vessels for free radical incineration reactions rather than a meter-scale incineration chamber as in the case in thermal incineration processes. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.