The biochar was produced by fast pyrolysis of potato peel waste (PPW) using the fluidized bed. The response surface methodology (RSM) and the central composite design (CCD) were employed for determining optimal adsorbents with the maximum H2S removal capacity. The operational parameters e.g. carbonization temperature (degrees C), duration (min) and space velocity (SV-L min(-1) kg(-1)) were chosen as independent variables in the CCD. The statistical result indicates that the carbonization temperature is significant to the H2S removal capacity. The optimal condition for achieving the maximum 1125 adsorption capacity of biochar is obtained as the followings: carbonization temperature (500 degrees C), duration (5 min), and SV (8000 L min(-1) kg(-1)) with the H2S removal reaching 53 mg/g. The equilibrium adsorption indicates the heterogeneity of adsorption sites. The advantage of fluidized bed reactor in process intensification by significantly reducing carbon footprint during adsorbent preparation shows prosperous future. (C) 2017 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.