In this study, a novel sol-gel-derived Cu/TiO 2 adsorbent has been demonstrated to exhibit exceptional capacities of 40.62, 49.52, and 108.48 mg PH 3 /g Cu/TiO 2 for the oxidative capture of phosphine (PH 3 ) in N 2 , air, and humidified air, respectively. We have proposed the oxidative mechanisms for PH 3 on the Cu/TiO 2 sample on the basis of elemental, chemical state, functional group, and microstructural analysis. Moreover, the influence of O 2 and water vapor on the capture capacity is discussed. The transformation of PH 3 followed the sequence of PH 2 f H 2 P-OH f HP(OH) 2 f P(OH) 3 f HO-PdO f H 3 PO 4 . At the same time, the CuO/Cu(OH) 2 moieties in the TiO 2 lattice were reduced to Cu 0 . The H 2 P-OH and HO-PdO are the two stable intermediates, and they occupied the active species to inhibit further chemisorption. Direct oxidation of PH 3 or the intermediates with adsorbed O 2 was not efficient. However, the Cu/TiO 2 sample catalyzed their interactions via reduction and then oxidation of the Cu 2þ ions. Water vapor acts as a cocatalyst to facilitate the oxidation of the intermediates. The end product, H 3 PO 4 , migrated to bound the TiO 2 support and free the CuO/Cu(OH) 2 for the following catalytic processes. Although competitive adsorption of water molecules initially retarded the adsorption rate, the high extent of oxidation greatly promoted the capture capacity of the Cu/TiO 2 in humidified air.