Peroxidation of rat liver microsomes and of phospholipid isolated from them was studied using iron(III) and ascorbate initiation. One-half equivalent of citrate per iron equivalent maintained solubility of the metal ion at neutral pH. Several metal chelators, including additional citrate, blocked peroxidation, but catalase did not. These characteristics are consistent with those reported by others (D. M. Miller and S. D. Aust (1989) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 271, 113-119). Several antioxidants, principally tocopherol analogues and nitroxides, and, as well, a nonenzymatic component of "thymol-free" catalase, potently blocked lipid peroxidation, or, equivalently, dioxygen depletion from suspensions of peroxidizing microsomes. Chromanols were the most active antioxidants. No thiol studied had significant antioxidant activity in the test system.