It is indicated that modified carbon is a practical sorbent for removal of NO and SO2 from waste gases by the adsorption method. The ideal compositions for the prepared sorbent were 4.0 wt.% and 2.5 wt.% Na2CO3 and KOH at the experimental conditions, respectively, shortened as ACNaK(2.5). Experimental investigation showed that the sorbent had a comparatively high breakthrough adsorption capacity of NO and SO2, about 5.8 g (NO + SO2)/100 9 sorbent. It is indicated that a relatively high adsorption temperature would benefit the sorbent adsorption capacities on NO and SO2 at a certain space velocity and pressure. Further study revealed that the ACNaK(2.5) sorbent had good regenerability at the experimental conditions, which implied that the ACNaK(2.5) sorbent would be a useful sorbent for simultaneous removal of NO and SO2 from waste gases by adsorption. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.