A system for exhaust gas purification disposed in the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, includes an adsorbent formed by loading, on a monolithic carrier, (1) a zeolite containing at least one kind of ion of an element having an electronegativity of 1.40 or more and (2) a catalyst material formed by loading at least one kind of noble metal selected from Pt, Pd and Rh on a heat-resistant inorganic oxide, and at least one loaded carrier formed by loading, on a monolithic carrier, a catalyst component having a purifiability for the harmful substances present in the exhaust gas emitted from the engine and/or an adsorbent component having an adsorptivity for the hydrocarbons also present in the exhaust gas, the loaded carrier being provided upstream of the adsorbent in the flow direction of the exhaust gas and having a total volume of 0.6 l or more. In this system for exhaust gas purification, the thermal deterioration of the adsorbent is reduced because there is used an adsorbent of higher HC desorption start temperature and because the thermal load applied to the adsorbent is decreased by the use of a particular means.