The presence of anthracene (ANT) in coastal waters is increasingly being reported and profoundly impacts the marine biota. However, toxicity data for ANT on marine organisms are scarce to develop numerical water quality criteria to protect marine life. Therefore, for the first time, this study derived the seawater quality criteria (SWQC) of ANT are based on the toxicity values of five marine organisms. Acute and chronic toxicity values of ANT were derived on diatoms (Thalassiosira subtilis and Endomoneis paludosa), copepods (Oithona similis and Tisbe furcata), and shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). 96 h-EC