removal of sulfur from process streams

A novel high sulfur capacity adsorbent capable of high rates of sulfur adsorption from process streams, which is readily regenerably by simple gas stripping. The adsorbent is characterized as a spinel compound of the formula M[NxAl2-x]O4, where M is one or more divalent cations selected from the group consisting of copper, Group II-B, i.e., zinc, cadmium, and mercury, and chromium, and Iron Group metals, i.e., iron, cobalt, and nickel, and magnesium, N is one or more trivalent cations selected from the group consisting of Group VI-B, i.e., chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten, manganese and Iron Group metals, i.e., iron, cobalt and nickel, x is a positive number of value greater than) and less than 2.0, and the total cationic charge of M[NxAl2-x] is 8. The sorbent readily adsorbs sulfur, e.g., organosulfur compound and hydrogen sulfide, from gas streams.