The capacity of rice husk activated carbon (RHAC) to adsorb refractory sulfur compounds of dibenzothiophenes (DBTs) from commercial kerosene was evaluated in terms of their textural and chemical characteristics. Rice husk activated at 850 degrees C for 1 h showed an acceptable adsorption capacity for DBTs, despite a much lower specific surface area (473 m(2)/g) and total pore volume (0.267 cm(3)/g), when compared to micro-porous activated carbon fiber with a large specific surface area (2336 m(2)/g) and total pore volume (1.052 cm(3)/g). The volumes of ultramicropores acting as DBTs adsorption sites, and of mesopores leading DBTs into the ultramicropores were closely related to the DBTs adsorption capacity of the RHACs. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.