In this paper new experimental work on the kinetics of the absorption of oxygen in an aqueous solution of sodium sulphite with cobaltous sulphate as a catalyst, has been presented and compared with already published data. It is shown that the reaction of oxygen with sodium sulphite is zero order in sulphite, first order in cobalt and second order in oxygen for 2 × 10 4 N/m 2 < p O 2 < 10 5 N/m 2, 150°C < T < 60°C, 3 × 10 −6 kmol/m 3 < c Co ++ < 3 × 10 −3 kmol/m 7.50 < pH < 8.50 and 0.4 kmol/m 2 < c SO 2 -- < 0.8 kmol/m 3. The reaction rate constant can be varied by more than two decades by changing the cobalt concentration, pH and temperature. The specific interfacial areas, a, and mass transfer coefficients, k L , measured by DeWaal and Beek [14, 15] using an incorrect kinetic model of this reaction, are reinterpreted with the results of the present kinetic investigation. It is shown that their values of a and k L are a factor 2.2 too low and too high, respectively, but that their values of k L a are correct.