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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Surface microplastics concentration collected from R/V URANIA in the Mediterranean Sea from 2013-05-09 to 2013-06-24 (NCEI Accession 0253450)

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This study involved a large-scale survey of neustonic microplastics floating in Mediterranean waters. It estimated the abundance and geographical distribution of microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea. This dataset contains all 74 neuston net samples collected during two consecutive cruises carried out on board R/V Urania, in a spreadsheet format. The study estimated a mean total of 3.1 × 10^12 microplastics for the whole Mediterranean.
  • Cite as: Suaria, Giuseppe; Avio, Carlo; Mineo, Annabella; Lattin, Gwendolyn; Magaldi, Marcello; Belmonte, Genuario; Moore, Charles; Regoli, Francesco; Aliani, Stefano (2022). Surface microplastics concentration collected from R/V URANIA in the Mediterranean Sea from 2013-05-09 to 2013-06-24 (NCEI Accession 0253450). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0253450. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0253450
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Distribution Formats
  • Excel
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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 2013-05-09 to 2013-06-24
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: 4.4039
East: 19.3933
South: 37.314
North: 43.03
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • The NOAA NCEI Global Marine Microplastics Database (1972-present)
    • NCEI Collection
      Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.
  • The Mediterranean Plastic Soup: synthetic polymers in Mediterranean surface waters
    • Parent ID (indicates this dataset is related to other data):
    • gov.noaa.nodc:NCEI-Marine-Microplastics
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2022-05-12
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: 4JPDWP
Purpose These microplastics data were collected in order to characterize microplastics concentration in the Mediterranean Sea.
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: Suaria, Giuseppe; Avio, Carlo; Mineo, Annabella; Lattin, Gwendolyn; Magaldi, Marcello; Belmonte, Genuario; Moore, Charles; Regoli, Francesco; Aliani, Stefano (2022). Surface microplastics concentration collected from R/V URANIA in the Mediterranean Sea from 2013-05-09 to 2013-06-24 (NCEI Accession 0253450). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0253450. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Contributors
Resource Providers
Points of Contact
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Related Funding Agency: EU FP7 project COCONET; RITMARE; JPI-O BASEMAN
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS ICES/SeaDataNet Ship Codes
Instrument keywords Provider Instruments
  • Neuston net
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Suaria, Giuseppe; Avio, Carlo; Mineo, Annabella; Lattin, Gwendolyn; Magaldi, Marcello; Belmonte, Genuario; Moore, Charles; Regoli, Francesco; Aliani, Stefano (2022). Surface microplastics concentration collected from R/V URANIA in the Mediterranean Sea from 2013-05-09 to 2013-06-24 (NCEI Accession 0253450). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0253450. 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
  • 2022-05-12T17:51:42Z - NCEI Accession 0253450 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: MICROPLASTIC CONCENTRATION (measured); Units: pieces/m3; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Neuston net; Sampling and Analyzing Method: 74 neuston samples were collected during two consecutive cruises (CoCoPro13 and Venus2-ArgoIT) carried out in the Mediterranean Sea on board the Italian research vessel Urania. Samples were all collected using a Neuston net (100 × 50 cm rectangular frame opening) equipped with a 200 μ m mesh size. At each station, the net was towed for ~5 minutes at a speed of 1.5–2 knots. All deployments were made from the ship’s starboard side beyond the bow wave, in order to avoid the wake turbulence. Once on board, the net was rinsed with seawater and the content of the cod end was emptied over a 50 μ m metal sieve. The length of the trawls (mean: 175.7 ± 85.5 m) was calculated using a mechanical flowmeter positioned at the center of the net mouth. In the laboratory, samples were examined under a dissecting stereo-microscope. Plastic particles were carefully hand-picked using laboratory tweezers and transferred to glass jars. All samples were double-checked by two different researchers to ensure detection of all particles and to reduce operator bias during sorting. Particles were then separated into seven size classes by sequential sieving through a series of stacked stainless steel meshes (0.2–0.3 mm, 0.3–0.5 mm, 0.5–0.7 mm, 0.7–1.0 mm, 1.0–2.8 mm, 2.8–5.0 mm and 5.0–20 mm). Microplastics particles (i.e. less than 5mm) were counted, dried in oven for 1 h at 50 °C, weighed on an electronic balance (accuracy: 0.1 mg). Microplastic concentrations expressed as particles/m3 were then computed.; Data Quality Method: Extracted particles were analyzed using μFTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) in order to confirm their polymeric identity..
Acquisition Information (collection)
Platform
  • URANIA
Last Modified: 2023-09-19T17:41:19Z
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