Catalytic oxidation of glycerol with molecular oxygen in presence of heterogeneous commercial 3%Pd/Al2O3 catalyst in alkaline water solutions in barbotage type reactors was studied. A number of experiment series were carried out for oxidation optimization. In these experiments the following parameters were varied: partial oxygen pressure from 0,21 to 1,00 atm; temperature from 323 K to 333 K, n(glycerol)/n(Pd) from 300 to 400; sodium hydroxide concentration from 0,7 to 1,5 M. Initial glycerol concentration was maintained constant and equals to 0,3 M. It was found that glyceric and tartronic acids were major products of the reaction. Glyceric acid’s yield was growing along with increase of O2 P and sodium hydroxide concentration. Tartronic acid’s yield was decreasing along with NaOH concentration increase. Optimal parameters for selective glyceric and tartronic acids formation were identified.