Adsorbents based in rice husk ash (RHA) modified with niobium pentoxide were prepared for impregnation methods and applied in sulfur removal in liquid fuels. The solids were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen physisorption and thermal analysis; they show that there was no qualitative change in the amorphous structure of the RHA; however, the method of impregnation could modify the particle size and topology of RHA particles. The larger sulfur removal (>50%) was achieved using RHA with 5 wt.% Nb2O5 at a dosage of 10 g L-1, after 4 h of contact with the model fuel. The kinetic study of adsorption of thiophene showed that the models of pseudo-second order and intra-particle diffusion best fit the experimental data. The adsorption experiments with the thiophenic derivatives compounds show a large selectivity of the adsorbent. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.