Response to commentary article on environmental quality standards for diclofenac derived under the European water framework directive: 1. Aquatic organisms, by Maack et al. 2022

Environmental Sciences Europe

Table 1 Mortality of male and female stickleback after 5-month exposure to measured diclofenac concentrations reported as control, 0.041, 0.44, and 3.82 µg L⁻¹ (nominal concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 10 µg L⁻¹)

Mesocosm channel	Exposure concentration (µg L⁻¹)	Total number of females at study start	Total number of females at study end	Female mortality (%)	Total number of males at study start	Total number of males at study end	Male mortality (%)
3	0	15	6	60	10	5	50
8	0	15	9	40	10	6	40
12	0	15	9	40	10	5	50
6	0.041	15	6	60	10	7	30
7	0.041	15	5	66.67	10	8	20
9	0.041	15	6	60	10	5	50
2	0.44	15	6	60	10	5	50
5	0.44	15	3	80	10	9	10
11	0.44	15	6	60	10	5	50
1	3.82	15	1	93.33	10	4	60
4	3.82	15	0	100	10	0	100
10	3.82	15	0	100	10	0	100