X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with the low energy Ar+ sputtering technique has been used to investigate the chemical compositions and chemical states of elements at different depths of commercial passivated tinplate surface layer. It is found that Cr2O3, SnO, Cr(OH)(3), metallic Sn and a small amount of metallic Cr have been mixed in this layer. According to peak fitting and relative sensitivity factor method, the concentrations of elements in various chemical environments on different depth planes of the passivated tinplate surface layer have been obtained. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.