The interaction of γ-Al₂O₃, taken as a model substance of tropospheric mineral dust, with N₂O, NO and NO₂ has been studied using kinetic and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) mass-spectrometry in presence and absence of UV irradiation. At low surface coverages (<0.001 ML), adsorption of N₂O and NO₂ is accompanied by dissociation and chemiluminescence, whereas adsorption of NO does not lead to appreciable dissociation. Upon UV irradiation of Al₂O₃ in a flow of N₂O, photoinduced decomposition and desorption of N₂O take place, whereas in a flow of NO, only photoinduced desorption is observed. Dark dissociative adsorption of N₂O and NO and photoinduced N₂O dissociation apparently occur by a mechanism involving electron capture from surface F- and F⁺-centers. Photoinduced desorption of N₂O and NO may be associated with decomposition of complexes of these molecules with Lewis acid sites, V-centers or OH-groups. TPD of N₂O and NO proceeds predominantly without decomposition, while NO₂ partially decomposes to NO and O₂.