Adsorption　technology　is　considered　one　of　the　most　effective　methods　for　removing　volatile　organic　compounds　(VOCs).　However,　it　is　difficult　to　select　the　optimal　activated　carbon　(AC)　for　different　VOCs　industries　due　to　its　various　categories.　To　develop　a　comprehensive　assessment　system　for　commercial　AC　in　typical　gasoline　vapor　removal,　12　commercial　AC　(coal,　shell,　and　wood　carbon)　were　selected.　Their　physical　properties,　chemical　characteristics　and　target　pollutant　adsorption　capacity　were　studied.　A　comprehensive　evaluation　system　was　established　based　on　the　improved　Analytic　Hierarchy　Process　(AHP).　The　weighted　of　AHP　method　was　determined　by　the　correlation　between　adsorption　capacity　and　each　property　indicator.　The　adsorption　of　i-pentane　was　influenced　by　the　specific　surface　area　（SSA）　and　alkaline　functional　groups　of　AC,　with　the　former　showing　a　significant　positive　correlation　(correlation　coefficient=0.853,　P＜0.05)　and　the　latter　showing　a　negative　correlation　(correlation　coefficient=−0.845,　P＜0.05).　Based　on　the　average　comprehensive　scores,　the　wooden　carbon　performed　the　best,　followed　by　the　coal　carbon　and　the　shell　carbon.　Owing　to　the　highest　SSA　(1851　m2/g)　and　the　highest　acidic　functional　groups　(1.354　mmol/g)　of　the　wooden　carbon,　the　i-pentane　adsorption　performance　(553.5　mg/g)　was　the　best.　The　method　we　proposed　can　be　used　to　rank　the　commercial　AC　based　on　the　different　aspects,　which　can　be　employed　for　the　selection　and　recommendation　of　high-quality　AC　for　various　VOCs　industries.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd