Although the increasing use of the nanoparticles in many consumer products, there are distinct knowledge gaps regarding the potential release and exposure of manufactured nanomaterials. There is also an urgent need for more detailed studies on the environmental behaviour and fate of nano-based products. We tried to address these gap through our current research acitivites within the Central European project NANOFORCE. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the behaviour of different paints containing nano-sized TiO₂and ZnO after distinct exposure scenarios: leachability release and UV exposure. The testing systems for toxicity were based on cytotoxicity (using MTT activity) and ecotoxicity (inhibition of luminescence in Vibrio fisheri). Characterization of leachates was performed by using CLS and PIXE in order to determine NPs size distribution and released amounts in the leachates. Some of the leachates, although containing NPs in small amounts, were cytotoxic and ecotoxic. In the case of ZnO-based NP paints, it seems that the toxicity of leachates was due to the presence of the dissolved Zn2+ ions and not of NPs.

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