showed the ruthenium component to be present as well dispersed crystallites in the reduced only samples having ruthenium metal of an average crystallite size of about 10 angstroms a further benefit was observed by employing a reduction temperature between about 300 u00b0 and 500 u00b0 c preferably the reduction temperature employed ranges between about 400 u00b0 and 500 u00b0 c the preferred ruthenium catalyst of the invention provides greater sustainable carbon monoxide conversion for an equivalent amount of ruthenium than comparative ruthenium containing catalysts other physical properties of the final catalyst of the present invention include a total pore volume of about 0 1 to about 2 5 cc gram and preferably about 0 3 to about 1 8 cc gram and an apparent bulk density between about 0 2 and about 0 7 and preferably a density between about 0 2 and about 0 4 grams cc the catalyst of the present invention may be employed in a finishing step in the production of a fuel gas for a fuel cell to reduce the carbon monoxide in this fuel gas and thereby minimize damage or extend the life of pem fuel cells catalyst of the present invention also may be employed in any of several conversion processes including steam reforming and water gas shift processes optionally the catalyst may also contain other additional components or mixtures thereof which act alone or in concert as catalyst modifiers to improve catalyst activity selectivity or stability some well known catalyst modifiers include antimony arsenic beryllium bismuth cadmium calcium chromium cobalt.