Adsorption technique could be a reliable alternative in removing to a certain remarkable extent the sulfur species from the feedstock of petroleum oil. The performance of various carbons on adsorption of model sulfur compounds in a simulated feed solution and the sulfur containing compounds in the real gas oil was evaluated. The adsorption experiments have been carried out in a batch scale at ambient temperature and under the atmospheric pressure. In general, the most refractory sulfur compounds in the hydrotreatment reactions were selectively removed and adsorbed. It was found that the adsorbents affinities to clibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene were much more favored and pronounced than the aromatic matrices like fluorene, 1-methylnaphthalene and 9-methylanthracene. Among the sulfur species, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene was the highest to be removed in terms of both selectivity and capacity over all the present adsorbents. The studied adsorbents showed significant capacities for the polyaromatic thiophenes. The electronic characteristics seem to play a certain role in such behavior. Regeneration of the used adsorbent was successfully attained either by washing it with toluene or by the release of the adsorbates through heat treatment. A suggested adsorptive removal process of sulfur compounds from petroleum distillate over carbon supported CoMo catalyst was discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.