The effects of column dimensions, gas velocity and the properties of liquid and solid particles on the gas holdup ε_G and the volumetric liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient k_La in the solid-suspended bubble column of liquid-solid batch operation were studied experimentally. The presence of suspended solid particles in the bubble column reduces values of ε_G and k_La, and their reduction by an addition of solid particles to the column is high in the transition regime and low in the heterogeneous flow regime. Based on these observations, empirical equations for ε_G in transition flow and in heterogeneous flow, and an empirical equation for k_La a applicable to the above two flow regimes are proposed.