Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Plastic pellet (nurdle) abundance collected by citizen scientists on shorelines across several countries from 2018-11-07 to 2022-05-30 (NCEI Accession 0259486)

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This dataset contains counts of plastic pellet (nurdle) abundance (reported in units of counts) that were collected by citizen scientists on shorelines across several countries from 2018-11-07 to 2022-05-30, in a spreadsheet format. Citizen scientists watch a four-minute training video on how, when, and where to collect, as well as where to submit the data. The survey consists of hand picking nurdles for a 10 minute period that starts once the first nurdle has been collected.

Dataset Citation

Cite as: Tunnell, Jace W.; Dunning, Kelly H.; Scheef, Lindsay P.; Swanson, Kathleen M. (2022). Plastic pellet (nurdle) abundance collected by citizen scientists on shorelines across several countries from 2018-11-07 to 2022-05-30 (NCEI Accession 0259486). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/ccz7-mq57. Accessed [date].

Dataset Identifiers

ISO 19115-2 Metadata

gov.noaa.nodc:0259486

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	2018-11-07 to 2022-05-30
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates	West: -159.6699 East: 175.1148 South: -40.7381 North: 56.3388
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.
Measuring plastic pellet (nurdle) abundance on shorelines throughout the Gulf of Mexico using citizen scientists: Establishing a platform for policy-relevant research
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110794
  journal article

gov.noaa.nodc:NCEI-Marine-Microplastics

Publication Dates	publication: 2022-09-28
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: 2M20XB
Purpose	These plastic pellet (nurdle) data were collected in order to determine the abundance of nurdles on shorelines of multiple locations in several countries.
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: Tunnell, Jace W.; Dunning, Kelly H.; Scheef, Lindsay P.; Swanson, Kathleen M. (2022). Plastic pellet (nurdle) abundance collected by citizen scientists on shorelines across several countries from 2018-11-07 to 2022-05-30 (NCEI Accession 0259486). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/ccz7-mq57. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors	Tunnell, Jace W. UT Austin Marine Science Institute Dunning, Kelly H. Scheef, Lindsay P. Swanson, Kathleen M.
Contributors	University of Texas at Austin; Marine Science Institute
Resource Providers	Jace W. Tunnell University of Texas at Austin; Marine Science Institute University of Texas at Austin; Marine Science Institute
Points of Contact	Ebenezer Nyadjro Mississippi State University (MSU)
Publishers	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Acknowledgments	Related Funding Agency: 11th Hour Racing: Grant No. G-1906-58461

Theme keywords	NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS microplastic concentration NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS in situ 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 University of Texas at Austin; Marine Science Institute NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS University of Texas at Austin; Marine Science Institute
Instrument keywords	Provider Instruments handpicking
Place keywords	NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Caribbean Sea Coastal Waters of Alabama Coastal Waters of Florida Coastal Waters of Louisiana Coastal Waters of Mississippi Coastal Waters of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia Coastal Waters of Texas Columbia River estuary - Washington/Oregon Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Gulf of Guinea Gulf of Mexico Indian Ocean Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary New York Bight North Atlantic Ocean North Pacific Ocean North Sea Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Persian Gulf (Gulf of Iran) South Atlantic Ocean Tasman Sea Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH SEA OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN OCEAN > INDIAN OCEAN OCEAN > INDIAN OCEAN > ARABIAN SEA > PERSIAN GULF OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN Provider Place Names Bahamas Brazil Canada Chile Columbia Costa Rica Dominican Republic Equatorial Guinea France Global Greece Guatemela Kenya Mexico New Zealand Sri Lanka Taiwan United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States
Keywords	NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0259486

Use Constraints	Cite as: Tunnell, Jace W.; Dunning, Kelly H.; Scheef, Lindsay P.; Swanson, Kathleen M. (2022). Plastic pellet (nurdle) abundance collected by citizen scientists on shorelines across several countries from 2018-11-07 to 2022-05-30 (NCEI Accession 0259486). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/ccz7-mq57. 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	2022-09-28T18:37:07Z - NCEI Accession 0259486 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets	NCEI Accession 0259486 v1.1 NCEI Accession 0259486 v1.1 (download) published 2022-09-28T18:37:07Z

Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps	Parameter or Variable: MICROPLASTIC CONCENTRATION (measured); Units: counts of nurdles; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: handpicking; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Citizen scientists watch a four-minute training video on how, when, and where to collect, as well as where to submit the data. Citizen scientists who are able to conduct regular sampling are encouraged to choose a beach, or multiple beaches, to survey once a month. All surveys start at the water line and move up to the nearest/first high tide line. Once the surveyor has located the beginning point, a ten minute timer is started, and they begin searching for nurdles. If no nurdles are found at the first high tide line after 10 min, the volunteer then moves to the second high tide line, and so on until the highest wrack line or vegetation line is searched. Each tide or wrack line is searched for ten minutes before moving to the next. Volunteers only move to the next line, if no nurdles were found at the previously searched line. Once a nurdle is found, the timer is restarted for 10 min and nurdle collection begins by hand picking. If nurdles are found at the first high tide line, then that is the only wrack line that will be surveyed at this site. During the survey, all nurdles are placed directly into a baggie or jar to reduce the likelihood of losing the pellets. After the 10 minute nurdle collection period, the surveyor stops and counts the number of nurdles collected. The surveyor records the time, date, and GPS location of the survey. The volunteers are also asked to record any notes, such as whether the nurdles were found at the newest high tide or whether there were other natural or manmade debris on the beach. If no nurdles were found at any of the wrack lines up to the highest inland wrack line, which is often a sand dune, vegetation line, road, or seawall, then a zero is recorded as the number of nurdles collected. All data are submitted online into the www.NurdlePatrol.org web portal. After data are uploaded to the website, nurdles are disposed of properly or retained for education purposes. Each continuous time period that a single volunteer spends searching for nurdles is considered one survey. Each reported total number of nurdles found is considered a count. Multiple surveys can therefore result in a single count if a group of people surveying together report a single total number of nurdles collected. Since surveys are often conducted by groups that report a single count and are sometimes shorter or longer than the standard 10-minute collection time, each nurdle count is standardized to the number of nurdles collected by one individual in 10 min. For example, if two individuals survey for a 30 minute period and the surveyors combined collected 100 nurdles, the standardization process would divide the total number of nurdles collected by two (100 nurdles ÷ 2 surveyors= 50 nurdles per surveyor), then divide that number into 10 minute increments (50 nurdles per surveyor ÷ 30/10 min=16.6 nurdles per surveyor per 10 min). If the standardized number comes out to less than 1 nurdle (for example 0.75), it is rounded up to 1 nurdle. Also, if the survey time is less than 10 minutes by an individual or group, a note is made that the survey did not meet the minimum requirement for a full survey.; Data Quality Method: There is a risk of artificially inflating nurdle abundance values if data standardization is applied to counts associated with survey times shorter than the standard 10 min. Volunteers sometimes shorten the survey period if very large numbers of nurdles are present and counting the collected nurdles will be extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. In addition, volunteers are discouraged from sampling high-abundance areas if the labor associated with a strict 10-minute minimum collection period is perceived to be unreasonable..

Lineage information for: dataset

Processing Steps

Parameter or Variable: MICROPLASTIC CONCENTRATION (measured); Units: counts of nurdles; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: handpicking; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Citizen scientists watch a four-minute training video on how, when, and where to collect, as well as where to submit the data. Citizen scientists who are able to conduct regular sampling are encouraged to choose a beach, or multiple beaches, to survey once a month. All surveys start at the water line and move up to the nearest/first high tide line. Once the surveyor has located the beginning point, a ten minute timer is started, and they begin searching for nurdles. If no nurdles are found at the first high tide line after 10 min, the volunteer then moves to the second high tide line, and so on until the highest wrack line or vegetation line is searched. Each tide or wrack line is searched for ten minutes before moving to the next. Volunteers only move to the next line, if no nurdles were found at the previously searched line. Once a nurdle is found, the timer is restarted for 10 min and nurdle collection begins by hand picking. If nurdles are found at the first high tide line, then that is the only wrack line that will be surveyed at this site. During the survey, all nurdles are placed directly into a baggie or jar to reduce the likelihood of losing the pellets. After the 10 minute nurdle collection period, the surveyor stops and counts the number of nurdles collected. The surveyor records the time, date, and GPS location of the survey. The volunteers are also asked to record any notes, such as whether the nurdles were found at the newest high tide or whether there were other natural or manmade debris on the beach. If no nurdles were found at any of the wrack lines up to the highest inland wrack line, which is often a sand dune, vegetation line, road, or seawall, then a zero is recorded as the number of nurdles collected. All data are submitted online into the www.NurdlePatrol.org web portal. After data are uploaded to the website, nurdles are disposed of properly or retained for education purposes. Each continuous time period that a single volunteer spends searching for nurdles is considered one survey. Each reported total number of nurdles found is considered a count. Multiple surveys can therefore result in a single count if a group of people surveying together report a single total number of nurdles collected. Since surveys are often conducted by groups that report a single count and are sometimes shorter or longer than the standard 10-minute collection time, each nurdle count is standardized to the number of nurdles collected by one individual in 10 min. For example, if two individuals survey for a 30 minute period and the surveyors combined collected 100 nurdles, the standardization process would divide the total number of nurdles collected by two (100 nurdles ÷ 2 surveyors= 50 nurdles per surveyor), then divide that number into 10 minute increments (50 nurdles per surveyor ÷ 30/10 min=16.6 nurdles per surveyor per 10 min). If the standardized number comes out to less than 1 nurdle (for example 0.75), it is rounded up to 1 nurdle. Also, if the survey time is less than 10 minutes by an individual or group, a note is made that the survey did not meet the minimum requirement for a full survey.; Data Quality Method: There is a risk of artificially inflating nurdle abundance values if data standardization is applied to counts associated with survey times shorter than the standard 10 min. Volunteers sometimes shorten the survey period if very large numbers of nurdles are present and counting the collected nurdles will be extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. In addition, volunteers are discouraged from sampling high-abundance areas if the labor associated with a strict 10-minute minimum collection period is perceived to be unreasonable..

Last Modified: 2024-06-10T13:25:39Z
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov

Plastic pellet (nurdle) abundance collected by citizen scientists on shorelines across several countries from 2018-11-07 to 2022-05-30 (NCEI Accession 0259486)

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