The CH(2)I+O(2) reaction has been studied using laser flash photolysis followed by absorption spectroscopy, laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The rates of formation of IO and CH(2)O were found to be dependent upon the concentration of CH(2)I(2) under pseudo-first-order conditions ([O(2)]≫[CH(2)I(2)]), demonstrating that IO and CH(2)O are not formed directly from the title reaction, in contrast to recent investigations by Enami et al. It is proposed that the reaction proceeds via the formation of the peroxy radical species CH(2)IO(2), which undergoes self-reaction to form CH(2)IO, and which decomposes to CH(2)O+I, and that in laboratory systems IO is formed via the reaction I+CH(2)IO(2). The absorption spectrum of a species assigned to CH(2)IO(2) was observed in the range 310-400 nm with a maximum absorption at 327.2 nm of σ≥1.7×10(-18) cm(2) molecule(-1). A modelling study enabled the room temperature rate coefficients for the CH(2)IO(2)+CH(2)IO(2) self-reaction and the I+CH(2)IO(2) reaction to be confined within the ranges (6-12)×10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), and (1-2)×10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), respectively. In the atmosphere, CH(2)IO(2) will slowly react with other radicals to release iodine atoms, which can then form IO via reaction with ozone. Slow formation of IO means that lower concentrations are formed, which leads to a lower propensity to form particles as the precursor molecule OIO forms at a rate which is dependent on the square of the IO concentration.