Cu and Zn modified 13X zeolites prepared by ion exchange or impregnation and activated carbons (ACs) treated with KOH, NaOH or Na2CO3 solutions were studied as H2S sorbents for biogas purification for fuelling molten carbonate fuel cells. H2S sorption was studied in a new experimental set-up equipped with a high sensitivity potentiometric system for the analysis of H2S. Breakthrough curves were obtained at 40 degrees C with a fixed bed of 20 mg of the samples under a stream (6 L h(-1)) of 8 ppm H2S/He mixture. The adsorption properties of 13X zeolite improved with addition of Cu or Zn:Cu exchanged zeolite showed the best performances with a breakthrough time of 580 min at 0.5 ppm H2S, that is 12 times longer than the parent zeolite. In general, unmodified and modified ACs were more effective H2S sorbents than zeolites. Treating ACs with NaOH, KOH, or Na2CO3 solutions improved the H2S adsorption properties: AC treated with Na2CO3 was the most effective sorbent, showing a breakthrough time of 1222 min at 0.5 ppm, that is twice the time of the parent AC. Copyright (C) 2013, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.