Abstract: Based on the mechanism of adsorption，this paper reviews physical adsorptive desulfurization，reactive adsorptive desulfurization and selective adsorptive desulfurization. Physical adsorptive desulfurization is not expected to be very selective for sulfur compounds in transportation fuels and deep removal of sulfur cannot be realized. Reactive adsorptive desulfurization can achieve high sulfur-adsorption capacity when adsorption temperature is high，but the adsorbent regeneration temperature is very high. Selective adsorptive desulfurization is considered to be more promising，because of low investment，low operation cost and high desulfurization efficiency. It is the most promising process to reach the “zero sulfur” objective in the near future，but sulfur capacity of adsorbents and their selectivity for sulfur compounds could not yet satisfy the requirement in industrial application.