The effects of gas velocity, liquid velocity and nozzle diameter on the gas holdup and the volumetric liquid phase mass transfer coefficient, k(L)a, were studied a experimentally in a spout-fluid bed by absorption of oxygen in air into tap water. Gas holdup was found to increase with increasing gas velocity and to decrease with increasing liquid velocity and not to depend on nozzle diameter, k(L)a was found to increase with increasing gas velocity and liquid velocity and to decrease with increasing nozzle diameter, k(L)a was found to be strongly dependent on the liquid velocity. Two correlations for gas holdup and k(L)a in spout-fluid bed were presented with maximum deviation of 8% and 7% respectively.