Methyl mercaptan, also known as methanethiol, is a colorless gas with a smell like rotten cabbage. Methyl mercaptan is released from decaying organic matter in marshes and is present in the natural gas of certain regions, where coal tar, and crude oils is extracted.

Methyl mercaptan is manufactured and used i production of pesticides, plastics, methionine, a nutrient that is added to poultry feed and as a jet fuel additive. Methyl mercaptan is also released as a decay product of wood in pulp mills.

The chemical properties, the porous structure, and the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon has proven highly efficient in the removal of methyl mercaptans.