Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Microplastic concentrations on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand from 2019-04-11 to 2019-05-28 (NCEI Accession 0278059)

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This study estimated the concentration of microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring less than 5mm, reported in unit of pieces/kg d.w.) on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand from 2019-04-11 to 2019-05-28. Microplastic data were collected using a metal spoon. This dataset contains the results from all 34 sediment samples, in a spreadsheet format.

Dataset Citation

Cite as: Bissen, Raphael; Chawchai, Sakonvan (2023). Microplastic concentrations on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand from 2019-04-11 to 2019-05-28 (NCEI Accession 0278059). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0278059. Accessed [date].

Dataset Identifiers

ISO 19115-2 Metadata

gov.noaa.nodc:0278059

Full Text · XML

Download Data	HTTPS (download) Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download. FTP (download) These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).
Distribution Formats	Excel
Ordering Instructions	Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information +1-301-713-3277 NCEI.Info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov

Time Period	2019-04-11 to 2019-05-18
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates	West: 100.841111 East: 102.7875 South: 11.893611 North: 12.935833
Spatial Coverage Map

General Documentation

NCEI Dataset Landing Page
Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.
Descriptive Information
Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.

Associated Resources

The NOAA NCEI Global Marine Microplastics Database (1972-present)
- NCEI Collection
  Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.
Bissen R, Chawchai S. Microplastics on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand – A preliminary study. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 2020 Aug 01; 157,111345.
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111345
  journal article

gov.noaa.nodc:NCEI-Marine-Microplastics

Publication Dates	publication: 2023-05-12
Data Presentation Form	Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status	Complete - production of the data has been completed Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency	As needed
Supplemental Information	Submission Package ID: KTLDD1
Purpose	These microplastic concentration data were collected in order to determine the abundance of microplastics on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand from 2019-04-11 to 2019-05-28.
Use Limitations	accessLevel: Public Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.

Dataset Citation	Cite as: Bissen, Raphael; Chawchai, Sakonvan (2023). Microplastic concentrations on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand from 2019-04-11 to 2019-05-28 (NCEI Accession 0278059). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0278059. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors	Bissen, Raphael Chulalongkorn University Chawchai, Sakonvan
Contributors	Chulalongkorn University
Resource Providers	Raphael Bissen Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University
Points of Contact	Ebenezer Nyadjro Mississippi State University (MSU)
Publishers	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information

Theme keywords	NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS microplastic concentration NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS in situ laboratory analyses WMO_CategoryCode oceanography Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > WATER QUALITY > SEA SURFACE CONTAMINANTS > MICROPLASTIC CONCENTRATION
Data Center keywords	NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Chulalongkorn University NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Chulalongkorn University
Instrument keywords	NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS microscope sediment sieve Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords GRANULOMETRIC SIEVES MICROSCOPES > MICROSCOPES Provider Instruments Metal spoon
Place keywords	NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Gulf of Thailand Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN > SOUTH CHINA AND EASTERN ARCHIPELAGIC SEAS
Keywords	NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0278059

Use Constraints	Cite as: Bissen, Raphael; Chawchai, Sakonvan (2023). Microplastic concentrations on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand from 2019-04-11 to 2019-05-28 (NCEI Accession 0278059). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0278059. Accessed [date].
Access Constraints	Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees	In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.

Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps	2023-05-12T17:11:29Z - NCEI Accession 0278059 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets	NCEI Accession 0278059 v1.1 NCEI Accession 0278059 v1.1 (download) published 2023-05-12T17:11:29Z

Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps	Parameter or Variable: microplastic concentration (measured); Units: pieces/kg d.w.; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Metal spoon; Sampling and Analyzing Method: This study collected microplastic samples from beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand. The Gulf of Thailand, located between latitudes 6 to 14°N and longitudes 99 to 105° E, is a shallow semi-enclosed bay in the western part of the South China Sea, itself part of the western Pacific Ocean. The Gulf of Thailand, with a total coastline of 1878 km, can be divided into three parts: eastern, upper and western Gulf of Thailand. The coastal geomorphology of Thailand is characterized by sandy beaches, coastal wetlands (tidal flats and marshes), rocky coasts and cliffs. In April and May 2019, 34 sand samples were collected at 21 sandy beaches along the high-tide line in the provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat. Known for local tourism and/or their proximity to fishing piers, fishing villages and seafood markets, the sampled beaches include Pattaya, Dongtan-Jomtien, Bang Saray and Sai Keaw (Chonburi), Phala, Phayun, Mae Rumphueng, Phe to Suan Son, and Laem Maepim (Rayong), Kung Wiman, Laem Sadet, Chao Lao, and Laem Sing (Chanthaburi), and Black Sand, Suvarn Gleaw Thong, and Ban Chuen (Trat). In this study, sand was collected from sampling quadrats of 50 × 50 cm (0.25 m2) during the dry season in April and May. A metallic spoon was used to collect sand (~500 g) from the top 5 cm in the four corners of the sampling quadrat, as well as the center. During/between sampling, the metallic spoon was rinsed using seawater. Sand samples were placed into labeled bags and transported back to the laboratory and kept at room temperature until extraction. In the laboratory, the sand samples were sieved with a 4-mm metallic sieve (mesh No. 5; no larger particles have been observed on the sieve) and subsequently dried at 60 °C for 48 h. For the density separation using saturated sodium chloride solution, a saline solution was prepared by dissolving 358.9 g of NaCl in 1 L of demineralized water. This solution was stirred for 48 h at 600 rpm and 60 °C until the salt was completely dissolved. The saline solution was left to cool down and then filtered to remove impurities using Ø 70 mm Millipore 1.2 μm glass microfiber filters (WHATMAN GF/C™ No. 1822-070). Filtering the saline solution is crucial as previous studies found microplastics in table salt. The final density of the saline solution is 1.2 g/cm3 which is higher than the density of common plastic polymers such as polypropylene (PP: 0.9–0.91 g/cm3), polyethylene (PE: 0.917–0.965 g/cm3) and polystyrene (PS: 1.04–1.1 g/cm3). To extract the microplastics by density separation, sand (50 g dry weight) was mixed with saturated saline solution (200 mL), stirred with a magnetic stirrer for 2 min at 600 rpm and subsequently left to settle for at least 6 h. Microplastics from each sample were expected to float on a fully saturated sodium chloride solution. The supernatant was carefully poured into a vacuum filtration system and filtered through Ø70 mm Millipore 1.2 μm glass microfiber filters (WHATMAN GF/C™ No. 1822-070). This procedure was repeated three times for each sample to ensure that all microplastics were extracted and sampled. Preparation of the saline solution and the extraction of microplastics was done at the Geochemistry Laboratory, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, following Geochemistry Laboratory standards. The dried filters were then examined under a stereomicroscope at up to 40× magnification and microplastics were systematically counted. Microplastics were photographed with a 34 MP Digital Industrial Microscope Camera (HAYEAR HY-1139). ImageJ FIJI (ver. 1.52p, cell counter plugin) was used for counting and ImageView for size measurements.; Data Quality Method: Samples were covered at all stages to avoid airborne contamination. Only glassware laboratory equipment was used. To assess laboratory contamination, the study also ran blank tests. This involved using 200 mL of filtered saturated saline solution without sand, following the identical procedure detailed above. This was repeated for each set of extraction. The amount of microplastics found in the blanks was subtracted from the microplastic count (raw data), considering color and shape. A few suspected microplastics were analyzed by confocal Raman spectroscopy. Results suggested that the samples consisted of polyethylene and polypropylene..

Lineage information for: dataset

Processing Steps

Parameter or Variable: microplastic concentration (measured); Units: pieces/kg d.w.; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Metal spoon; Sampling and Analyzing Method: This study collected microplastic samples from beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand. The Gulf of Thailand, located between latitudes 6 to 14°N and longitudes 99 to 105° E, is a shallow semi-enclosed bay in the western part of the South China Sea, itself part of the western Pacific Ocean. The Gulf of Thailand, with a total coastline of 1878 km, can be divided into three parts: eastern, upper and western Gulf of Thailand. The coastal geomorphology of Thailand is characterized by sandy beaches, coastal wetlands (tidal flats and marshes), rocky coasts and cliffs. In April and May 2019, 34 sand samples were collected at 21 sandy beaches along the high-tide line in the provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat. Known for local tourism and/or their proximity to fishing piers, fishing villages and seafood markets, the sampled beaches include Pattaya, Dongtan-Jomtien, Bang Saray and Sai Keaw (Chonburi), Phala, Phayun, Mae Rumphueng, Phe to Suan Son, and Laem Maepim (Rayong), Kung Wiman, Laem Sadet, Chao Lao, and Laem Sing (Chanthaburi), and Black Sand, Suvarn Gleaw Thong, and Ban Chuen (Trat). In this study, sand was collected from sampling quadrats of 50 × 50 cm (0.25 m2) during the dry season in April and May. A metallic spoon was used to collect sand (~500 g) from the top 5 cm in the four corners of the sampling quadrat, as well as the center. During/between sampling, the metallic spoon was rinsed using seawater. Sand samples were placed into labeled bags and transported back to the laboratory and kept at room temperature until extraction. In the laboratory, the sand samples were sieved with a 4-mm metallic sieve (mesh No. 5; no larger particles have been observed on the sieve) and subsequently dried at 60 °C for 48 h. For the density separation using saturated sodium chloride solution, a saline solution was prepared by dissolving 358.9 g of NaCl in 1 L of demineralized water. This solution was stirred for 48 h at 600 rpm and 60 °C until the salt was completely dissolved. The saline solution was left to cool down and then filtered to remove impurities using Ø 70 mm Millipore 1.2 μm glass microfiber filters (WHATMAN GF/C™ No. 1822-070). Filtering the saline solution is crucial as previous studies found microplastics in table salt. The final density of the saline solution is 1.2 g/cm3 which is higher than the density of common plastic polymers such as polypropylene (PP: 0.9–0.91 g/cm3), polyethylene (PE: 0.917–0.965 g/cm3) and polystyrene (PS: 1.04–1.1 g/cm3). To extract the microplastics by density separation, sand (50 g dry weight) was mixed with saturated saline solution (200 mL), stirred with a magnetic stirrer for 2 min at 600 rpm and subsequently left to settle for at least 6 h. Microplastics from each sample were expected to float on a fully saturated sodium chloride solution. The supernatant was carefully poured into a vacuum filtration system and filtered through Ø70 mm Millipore 1.2 μm glass microfiber filters (WHATMAN GF/C™ No. 1822-070). This procedure was repeated three times for each sample to ensure that all microplastics were extracted and sampled. Preparation of the saline solution and the extraction of microplastics was done at the Geochemistry Laboratory, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, following Geochemistry Laboratory standards. The dried filters were then examined under a stereomicroscope at up to 40× magnification and microplastics were systematically counted. Microplastics were photographed with a 34 MP Digital Industrial Microscope Camera (HAYEAR HY-1139). ImageJ FIJI (ver. 1.52p, cell counter plugin) was used for counting and ImageView for size measurements.; Data Quality Method: Samples were covered at all stages to avoid airborne contamination. Only glassware laboratory equipment was used. To assess laboratory contamination, the study also ran blank tests. This involved using 200 mL of filtered saturated saline solution without sand, following the identical procedure detailed above. This was repeated for each set of extraction. The amount of microplastics found in the blanks was subtracted from the microplastic count (raw data), considering color and shape. A few suspected microplastics were analyzed by confocal Raman spectroscopy. Results suggested that the samples consisted of polyethylene and polypropylene..

Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument	microscope sediment sieve

Last Modified: 2023-07-09T13:05:42Z
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov

Microplastic concentrations on beaches along the eastern Gulf of Thailand from 2019-04-11 to 2019-05-28 (NCEI Accession 0278059)

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