Interaction between graphene (Gr) and metal plays an important role in physics and chemistry of graphene/metal interfaces. In this work, well-defined interfaces between graphene and transition metals (TMs) including Fe, Co, Pt, and Au were prepared through TM intercalation on Gr/Ru(0001) surface. The Gr-metal interaction was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. We found that graphene interacts most strongly with Ru, Fe and Co and most weakly with Au, following the order of Ru approximate to Fe approximate to Co > Pt > Au. The Gr/Fe, Gr/Co, Gr/Pt, and Gr/Ru interfaces can be readily intercalated by oxygen when exposed to air and illuminated by an infrared lamp. In contrast, oxygen intercalation does not happen at the Gr/Au interface under the same condition. It is suggested that both Gr-metal interaction and oxygen adsorption on the underlying metal surface are critical in the oxygen intercalation and the Gr/metal interface stability. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.