“…A complementary method to characterize pristine archeological lead can be obtained using the voltammetric responses associated with the electrochemical reduction of O 2 in nonaqueous solvents. This is a well-known electrochemical process consisting of a one-electron reversible reduction leading to O 2 • – radical anion which, in the presence of water traces, is followed by subsequent oxidation of the superoxide radical anion to hydroperoxyde and hydroxide anions. , For our purposes, the relevant point to emphasize is that this electrochemical process provides an in situ method for generating reactive radicals, which then influence the electrochemical response of the electrode, in particular, its electrocatalytic behavior, as recently reported by Scholz et al − Following this line of reasoning, one can expect that the O 2 to O 2 • – reduction process at lead-modified electrodes can be influenced by the nature of the modifier and that, conversely, the catalytic ability of the patinated metal can be modified as a result of the generation of radicals on its surface. Figure compares the CVs recorded at an unmodified electrode (dotted lines in parts a and b), for contemporary lead (continuous line in part a) and sample S.10 (continuous line in part b) immersed into air-saturated 0.10 M Bu 4 NPF 6 /MeCN.…”