Supported manganese oxide catalysts were prepared by the impregnation of alumina foam blocks washcoated with alumina and silica. The manganese content based on the weight of the washcoats was 10 wt % calculated as MnO2. Fourier transform profiles of the Mn K-edge EXAFS spectra for these samples gave three distinctive peaks at 0.15, 0.25, and 0.32 nm and were close to the profiles of Mn3O4 and beta-MnO2. The number of surface active sites was determined through oxygen chemisorption measurements at a reduction temperature (Tred = 443 K) obtained from temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) experiments. Acetone catalytic oxidation was studied from room temperature to 573 K, and was found to be highly accelerated by the use of ozone on both catalysts with substantial reductions in the reaction temperature. The only carbon-containing product detected was CO2. The alumina-supported catalyst was found to be more active than the silica-supported catalyst in acetone and ozone conversion, with higher turnover frequencies (TOFs) for both reactions. The pressure drop through the foam was low and increased little (0.003 kPa/10 000 h(-1)) with space velocity. In situ steady-state Raman spectroscopy measurements during the acetone catalytic oxidation reaction showed the presence of an adsorbed acetone species with a C-H bond at 2930 cm(-1) and a peroxide species derived from ozone with an O-O bond at 890 cm(-1).