Adsorption of aniline, benzene and pyridine from water on a copper oxide doped activated carbon (CuO/AC) at 30 ℃ and oxidation behavior of the adsorbed pollutants over CuO/AC in a temperature range up to 500 ℃ are investigated in TG and tubular-reactor/MS systems. Results show that the AC has little activity towards oxidation of the pollutants and CuO is the active oxidation site. Oxidation of aniline occurs at 231-349 ℃ and yields mainly CO2, H2O and N2. Oxidation of pyridine occurs at a narrower temperature range, 255-309 ℃, after a significant amount of desorption starting at 150 ℃. Benzene desorbs at temperatures as low as 105 ℃ and shows no sign of oxidation. The result suggests that adsorption-catalytic dry oxidation is suitable only for the strongly adsorbed pollutants. Oxidation temperatures of CuO/AC for organic pollutants are higher than 200 ℃ and pollutants desorbing easily at temperatures below 200 ℃ cannot be treated by the method.