The dissolution of organic solvents from containment coatings into the sump water is expected to be a key rate-controlling process, influencing the pH, the steady-state water radiolysis product concentration, and the formation of organic iodides in containment following a postulated reactor accident. The dissolution process is therefore an important component in modelling iodine behaviour in post-accident containment. The rate of release of ethyl benzene and m- and o-xylene from Amerlock 400 epoxy paint in contact with water has been measured. The release rate was found to be comparable to the release rate of methyl isobutyl ketone from various polyurethane, vinyl, and epoxy paints. The pseudo-first-order rate constant for dissolution of the solvents from these containment coatings is dependent only upon paint thickness and temperature, whereas the total amount of solvent released depends upon paint thickness. The solvent-release process is governed by the rate of uptake of water by the coupons, a Fickian diffusion-controlled process.Key words: dissolution, kinetics, organic solvents, paint.