Because of the unique mechanical properties and biocompatibility, magnesium and its alloys have large potential as lightweight structural materials in the industry in addition to being naturally degradable and resorbable biomaterials. However, their corrosion resistance is usually inadequate especially in an aqueous environment. In this work, pure magnesium is implanted with chromium and oxygen by plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) and the corrosion behavior is systematically investigated in simulated body fluid and sodium sulfate solution by polarization tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Our results reveal that chromium and oxygen ion-implanted magnesium have a lower corrosion rate and exhibit less pitting corrosion in the two solutions. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.