In the present study the absorption behaviour and the equilibria of CO2 and H2S in porous alpha-and gamma-alumina particles impregnated with inert solutions and alkanolamine solutions were investigated. From the equilibrium data it could be concluded that for CO2 and H2S also adsorption on the internal surface of liquid filled gamma-alumina particles occurs. The experimental absorption rate data were compared with theoretical data obtained with an absorption model, which describes the mass transport accompanied by chemical reaction in porous particles impregnated with reactive solutions. The CO2 and H2S alkanolamine data necessary for this model were taken from literature, while the tortuosity and porosity were experimentally determined. The model could describe the experimentally observed absorption rates satisfactorily. Discrepancies mainly occurred for the process conditions where equilibrium was approached. These deviations probably must be attributed to the calculation of the equilibrium compositions (no correction for non-idealities) and the accuracy of the available thermodynamic data.