Contaminant removal from a gas stream using a zinc sorbent that is regenerated via a step-wise regeneration process

A system employing a regenerable zinc-oxide based sorbent to remove one or more contaminants from an incoming gas stream. The contaminant-depleted gas stream can then be used for any subsequent application, while at least a portion of the contaminant-laden sorbent can be regenerated via a step-wise regeneration process. In one embodiment, sorbent regenerated via the step-wise regeneration process can comprise less sorbent-damaging compounds than traditional sorbents exposed to conventional regeneration processes.