Heteropolyacids used as active phase precursors, a kind of desulfurization catalysts which was promoted by nickel and supported on silica gel was prepared. The prepared catalysts were then characterized by XRD and N-2 physisorption, and evaluated in terms of the removal of sulfur compounds (thiophene, alkyl thiophene, BT and DBT) under the condition of Ultrasound and Ultraviolet irradiation (ODSUU). The effect of the catalyst amount on the desulfurization rate for fuel, as well as that of the reaction time, the oxidant dose, the reaction temperature and the Ultrasound and Ultraviolet irradiation time, was investigated. Under the optimized conditions for ODSUU, sulfur removal rate, up to 100% for model compounds and 99.5% for fuel, was achieved. However, sulfur removal rate under the same conditions without Ultrasound and Ultraviolet irradiation was lower than 100% for model compounds and 99.5% for fuel, which represented that catalysts assisted by Ultrasound and Ultraviolet showed better performance in the highly efficient deep removal of sulfur compounds than those of the traditional ODS procedure. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.