Electrochemical behaviour of the MA8 Mg alloy in minimum essential medium

[Display omitted] •Corrosion activity of the MA8 Mg alloy in two physiological solutions is studied.•Protective ability of films formed on Mg alloy in MEM and 0.83% NaCl is analyzed.•Bilayer structure of the corrosion film formed in MEM on the MA8 alloy is revealed.•Ca/P-containing products are the main precipitates on MA8 alloy exposed to MEM.•Three stages of the corrosion film evolution for MA8 alloy in the MEM are shown. The difference of the protective properties of the corrosion film formed on the MA8 Mg alloy in the mammalian cell culture medium (MEM) and 0.83 wt. % NaCl solution is established using OCP, PDP and EIS tests. The impedance modulus in the frequency range from 105 Hz down to 10−1 Hz for the sample immersed in MEM is higher than that for the sample immersed in NaCl solution. Ca and P rich deposits are formed in the corrosion layer on the Mg alloy in MEM. The model of the corrosion mechanism for MA8 Mg alloy in the MEM is proposed.