This invention is a method of purifying fuel streams containing
organonitrogen and organosulfur impurities. The fuel stream is first
treated to extract organonitrogen impurities so that the nitrogen content
of the fuel stream is reduced by at least 50 percent. After separation
and recovery of the nitrogen-depleted fuel stream, the organosulfur
impurities in the fuel stream are then oxidized with an organic
hydroperoxide in the presence of a titanium-containing silicon oxide
catalyst. The resulting sulfones may be more readily removed from the
fuel stream than the non-oxidized organosulfur impurities.