Abstract In the present research, an industrially aged Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst was used as a basis for the study on the sulfur deactivation and the development of more resistant catalytic materials. The catalytic activities of both industrially and laboratory-aged materials in DMDS oxidation were studied in addition to characterization by XRD, XPS, FESEM, TEM and N₂ adsorption. The industrial ageing induced a phase change from γ-Al₂O₃ towards θ-Al₂O₃, formation of aluminum sulfates and an increase in Pt particle size as well as a change in the oxidation state of Pt to a higher state. These changes caused an increase of 30 °C in the light-off temperature for DMDS oxidation. Accelerated ageing in the presence of SO₂ and H₂O vapor at 400 °C for 5 h decreased the activity of the Pt/Al₂O₃ at the same level than for the industrially aged catalyst even though smaller sulfur content and no sintering of γ-Al₂O₃ were observed. Pt sintering (10–20 nm) in both cases was observed. The XPS results confirmed the formation of new sulfate phases and the interaction between sulfur and the active phase as well as the support of the catalyst undergone accelerated ageing. After the accelerated ageing of copper-based catalysts, the 0.3Pt10Cu/Al₂O₃ǀ0.8SiO₂ǀ0.2 catalyst showed an interesting resistance towards sulfur deactivation, as it was expected.