Mass transfer rates of CO2 absorption and desorption in/ from supersatd. water, N-methylpyrrolidone and its aq. soln. were detd. at 293,15 K in a baffled agitated reactor. Isothermal batch desorption was initiated by pressure release. The CO2 desorption rate increased with the increasing supersatn. ratio, pressure and stirring speed. In the pure NMP soln., both diffusive desorption and bubble nucleation were obsd. The crit. supersatn. ratio and crit. stirring speed were detd. where the transition from bubbling to diffusive desorption took place. For pure water and aq. NMP soln., the CO2 desorption was always accompanied with bubble evolution. The desorption enthalpies were detd. and compared with the available literature data.