recovering sulfur from a gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide by oxidizing the gas stream to convert the hydrogen sulfide in the gas stream to sulfur oxide , and thus form a sulfur oxide enriched gas stream . the sulfur oxide enriched gas stream is contacted with a solid , sulfation resistant adsorbent bed at relatively low temperatures to extract the sulfur oxides and retain them as sulfur compounds , thus forming a sulfur oxide depleted gas stream . the adsorbent bed is then contacted with an inert or reducing gas stream to reduce the retained sulfur compounds to sulfur and / or sulfur dioxide and thereby form an enriched sulfur and / or sulfur dioxide bearing stream . the elemental sulfur is recovered and / or the sulfur dioxide bearing stream may be recycled to the claus unit for further conversion .