In situ Raman spectroscopy has been employed to investigate oxygen adsorption on electrolytic silver catalyst under industrial conditions for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde. Both adsorbed atomic and molecular oxygen species are shown to exist on the silver surface in O-2 flow above 870 K. The peroxide species is determined to be a precursor to atomic adsorbed oxygen. In consideration of the industrial process, the molecular mechanism of the partial oxidation of methanol and the adsorption mechanism of oxygen on electrolytic silver surface are discussed.