This paper investigates the environmental effects and related adsorbent species reactions on sol-gel derived amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide thin film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs). The discrepancy between device characteristics measured in atmospheric and vacuum conditions was clarified through experiments with thermal annealing and different gas partial pressures. The measurement of a-IGZO TFTs in simulated water vapor environment was also utilized. We verified that the adsorbed water originating from the surrounding atmosphere can cause an increase in off-current and also enhance more oxygen molecule adsorption on the exposed back-channel surface, leading to more serious degradation in on-current. (C) 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3568831] All rights reserved.