Abstract <p>Porous carbon and silica, which can be used as inexpensive adsorbents for air purification to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and for solvent recovery, can be co-produced from rice husk ash (RHA). These materials are attractive due to their well-developed micro- and mesoporous structure and modifiable surface properties. The effect of various types of modification of RHA-derived adsorbents on the adsorption kinetics of VOCs is still poorly understood. In this study, porous carbons are subjected to alkaline activation, activation in a nitrogen stream, and amination in an autoclave, while silica is modified with γ‑APTES. The effect of various types of modification on the adsorption kinetics of benzene vapors is studied by a set of methods: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), elemental analysis, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy, and laser diffraction of particle dispersions. Intraparticle diffusion rates and activation energies for adsorption/desorption processes are calculated. The dependence of diffusion rate on vapor pressure is measured for carbon subjected to alkaline activation in a nitrogen stream, which is the most promising adsorbent.</p>