The effect of different surfactants (n-octyltrimethylammonium bromide (OTABr), sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and Tween 80) with different critical micelle concentrations (CMC) on the CO2 absorption into aqueous solutions in a bubble column is analyzed in the present work. The presence of these surfactants increased the gas-liquid interfacial area, and decreased the liquid phase mass transfer coefficient, but with significant different extent. The results indicated that the CMC can be a key parameter affecting the mass transfer of CO2 absorption into a dilute aqueous solution of a surfactant. Sardeing's model was used to fit the experimental data successfully by re-correlating the parameters. (C) 2014 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.