•Toxicity of common oxidants and their quenching agents was investigated.•Manganese dioxide is recommended for hydrogen peroxide quenching (P. subcapitata).•Sodium sulfite is not a suitable quenching agent for V. fischeri bioassays.•Persulfate and peroxymonosulfate exhibit high D. magna toxicity.•Catalase exhibits high P. subcapitata toxicity. The inhibitory effect of commonly known oxidants and their quenching agents was investigated by employing a battery of toxicity tests. Hydrogen peroxide toxicity could be effectively eliminated by the enzyme catalase, whereas sodium thiosulfate and ascorbic acid were recommended as suitable quenching agents for the removal of the oxidants persulfate and peroxymonosulfate in the Vibrio fischeri bioassays. None of the studied quenching agents was found to be suitable for persulfate and peroxymonosulfate in the Daphnia magna bioassays since high inhibitory effects were obtained for both oxidants. In the case of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, manganese dioxide powder should be used as an alternative quenching agent to catalase, since this enzyme exhibited a highly toxic effect towards these microalgae. Sodium sulfite, which is extensively used as a quenching agent, was not appropriate for quenching peroxymonosulfate in all studied bioassays.