The influence of temperature and the effect of aggressive anions on the electrochemical behaviour of UNS N08031 stainless steel in a contaminated phosphoric acid solution were evaluated. Stabilisation of the passive film was studied by potentiodynamic polarisation curves, potentiostatic tests, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements, Mott-Schottky analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The stability of the passive film was found to decrease as temperature increases. The film formed on the stainless steel surface was a n-type semiconductor and the XPS spectrum revealed the presence of fluoride ions. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.