This study proposed to develop a model coupling hydrodynamics and mass transfer in order to gain an understanding of measurements taken on air–water bubble columns with low gas hold-up. Three experimental datasets with various operating conditions (water quality, liquid height, air flow range) were chosen. The model analyzes and interprets the significant impact of the local hydrostatic pressure and the effects of contamination on hydrodynamic and mass transfer parameters. The oxygen concentration in gas significantly depletes with the distance from diffusers, which explains the difference between the calculated mean of the local <k_La> and global K_La coefficients. This difference is highly significant for a high bubble column and/or systems with a low mean bubble size. The impact of water quality on mass transfer can be characterized by the contamination angle using comprehensive 1-D modeling and highlights a differentiated impact on the hydrodynamic or mass transfer parameters.