Characterization of inhibitor storage and release from commercial primers

•Release of chemical agents from Hentzen primers is minimal, but the coating provides barrier protection.•Deft primer releases large amount of Ca ions.•Chloride ions promote leaching in SrCrO4 primers by reducing activity coefficient.•Solubility limit, which depends on temperature and pH, dictates amount of inhibitors release from chromate primer.•Depletion tests show that the reservoir of chromate inhibitor is plentiful.