CeVO4　nanorods　(NRs)　were　successfully　synthesized　via　a　one-step　hydrothermal　method　using　disodium　edentate　(EDTA)　as　a　chelating　agent.　The　CeVO4　NRs　are　assigned　to　the　zircon-type　tetragonal　structure　and　exhibited　pure　single-crystals　as　determined　by　XRD　analysis.　FE-SEM　images　indicate　that　the　asprepared　samples　are　present　as　square-section　nanorods,　and　the　length　and　sectional　size　of　the　CeVO4　NRs　are　found　to　be　similar　to　1.5　mu　m　and　similar　to　100　nm,　respectively.　Moreover,　the　HRTEM　images　and　SAED　diffraction　patterns　confirm　that　the　main　exposed　surfaces　of　the　CeVO4　NRs　were　the　(010)　and　(004)　lattice　planes　with　a　high　exposed　percentage　(ca.　96.77%)　around　the　NRs　and　the　growth　direction　was　along　the　(200)　lattice　plane.　The　CeVO4　NRs　presents　a　pure　phase,　with　no　other　impurity　phases　identified　from　the　FTIR　and　Raman　spectra.　XPS　results　indicate　that　the　vanadium　atoms　on　the　surface　exhibit　a　mixture　of　valence　states,　i.e.,　pentavalent　state　(V5+)　and　trivalent　state　(V3+),　as　dangling　bonds　around　the　oxygen　vacancies　were　induced　by　EDTA　desorption　during　hydrothermal　process.　An　acetone　gas　sensor　based　on　the　CeVO4　NRs　was　fabricated,　which　exhibits　a　significant　response　(0.5　s)　and　recovery　(80　s)　with　high　selectivity　at　the　optimum　working　temperature　(108　degrees　C).　This　is　mainly　due　to　the　presence　of　the　trivalent　states　(V3+),　which　serve　as　the　active　sites　and　provide　a　large　number　of　oxygen　vacancies　(V-o)　as　identified　by　XPS　and　infrabar　experiments　at　300　ppm　O-2　(0.003　atm).　Moreover,　it　has　been　demonstrated　that　the　response　to　acetone　for　the　gas　sensor　was　crucially　dependent　on　the　adsorbed　oxygen　(O-ads)　on　the　(010)　or　(004)　facets　of　the　CeVO4　NRs,　where　the　redox　reaction　with　acetone　occurred　reversibly.