Interfacial resistance in the absorption of oxygen by water

Transient absorption rates of oxygen into water have been measured by passing a laminar jet through the pure gas for contact times varying from 0.8 to 11.8 msec. The absorption rate is significantly lower than the theoretical value corresponding to no interfacial resistance, if a diffusivity of 2.20 × 10−5sq. cm./sec. at 22.2°C. is used for comparison. The available evidence indicates that this diffusivity is about correct and that the lowered rate may be caused by an interfacial resistance described by an interfacial transfer coefficient equal to 0.6 cm./sec. This resistance is small enough to be neglected in most gas absorbers.