A method of corrosion rate determination based on X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) has been developed. The study of corrosion in test solutions showed different behavior of Zn and Zn-Ni coatings during the corrosion process. The corrosion rate of the zinc coatings was nearly constant during all experiments. The courses of corrosion processes for Zn-Ni coatings showed always the same three successive stages. Dezincification of the alloys in the first and the second stages caused an increase of the Ni content in the layer during the corrosion process. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.