Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Pelagic distribution of microplastics collected from RV Pelagia in the North Atlantic Ocean from 2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29 (NCEI Accession 0276265)

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This study was carried out to estimate the pelagic microplastics (plastics from size 0.5mm to 5mm, reported in unit of pieces/m^3) concentration in the North Atlantic Ocean. Microplastics data was collected from 2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29 aboard RV Pelagia, using a manta net. This dataset contains the results from all 36 sampling efforts, in a spreadsheet format.

Dataset Citation

Cite as: Egger, Matthias; Schilt, Britte; Wolter, Helen; Mani, Thomas; de Vries, Robin; Zettler, Erik; Niemann, Helge (2023). Pelagic distribution of microplastics collected from RV Pelagia in the North Atlantic Ocean from 2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29 (NCEI Accession 0276265). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0276265. Accessed [date].

Dataset Identifiers

ISO 19115-2 Metadata

gov.noaa.nodc:0276265

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	2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates	West: -38.851783 East: 3.641003 South: 29.827087 North: 52.400634
Spatial Coverage Map

General Documentation

NCEI Dataset Landing Page
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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.
Egger M, Schilt B, Wolter H, Mani T, de Vries R, Zettler E, Niemann H. Pelagic distribution of plastic debris (>500 µm) and marine organisms in the upper layer of the North Atlantic Ocean. Scientific Reports. 2022 Aug 11;12:13465.
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17742-7
  journal article

gov.noaa.nodc:NCEI-Marine-Microplastics

Publication Dates	publication: 2023-01-10
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: X3TWUH
Purpose	These data were collected in order to determine the pelagic microplastics concentrations in the North Atlantic Ocean during 2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29
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: Egger, Matthias; Schilt, Britte; Wolter, Helen; Mani, Thomas; de Vries, Robin; Zettler, Erik; Niemann, Helge (2023). Pelagic distribution of microplastics collected from RV Pelagia in the North Atlantic Ocean from 2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29 (NCEI Accession 0276265). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0276265. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors	Egger, Matthias The Ocean Cleanup Schilt, Britte Wolter, Helen Mani, Thomas de Vries, Robin Zettler, Erik Sea Education Association Niemann, Helge
Contributors	The Ocean Cleanup
Resource Providers	Matthias Egger The Ocean Cleanup The Ocean Cleanup
Points of Contact	Ebenezer Nyadjro Mississippi State University (MSU)
Publishers	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Acknowledgments	Related Funding Agency: European Research Council (ERC-CoG Grant No. 772923, project VORTEX) Related Funding Agency: The Ocean Cleanup Foundation

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 The Ocean Cleanup NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS The Ocean Cleanup
Platform keywords	NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS R/V Pelagia ICES/SeaDataNet Ship Codes PELAGIA (call sign: PGRQ, ICES code: 64PE, 1991) Provider Platform Names RV Pelagia
Instrument keywords	NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Manta net Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords NETS > NETS
Place keywords	NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS English Channel North Atlantic Ocean North Sea Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH SEA
Keywords	NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0276265

Use Constraints	Cite as: Egger, Matthias; Schilt, Britte; Wolter, Helen; Mani, Thomas; de Vries, Robin; Zettler, Erik; Niemann, Helge (2023). Pelagic distribution of microplastics collected from RV Pelagia in the North Atlantic Ocean from 2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29 (NCEI Accession 0276265). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0276265. 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	2023-01-10T17:21:58Z - NCEI Accession 0276265 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets	NCEI Accession 0276265 v1.1 NCEI Accession 0276265 v1.1 (download) published 2023-01-10T17:21:58Z

Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps	Parameter or Variable: MICROPLASTIC CONCENTRATION (measured); Units: pieces/m3; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Manta net; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Pelagic microplastics (from size 0.5mm to 5mm) concentrations were collected onboard RV Pelagia during the 64PE480 Expedition in November 2020. Samples were taken at twelve stations along a cruise transect from the Azores (Ponta Delgada, São Miguel) to the Netherlands (Texel) across the eastern portion of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. The ocean surface was sampled with a Manta trawl (Ocean Instruments, Inc., Fall City, USA) deployed from the starboard crane (to avoid potential contamination from the vessel), sailing at around 1.5 knots. The Manta trawl mouth area was 90 cm × 15 cm (width × height), and the net mesh size was 500 μm (square). Three consecutive trawls, each 20 min in duration, were performed and towed distance was recorded using a mechanical flow meter (General Oceanics, Inc.). After each deployment, the net was rinsed from the outside with seawater and the cod-end (333 μm mesh size) was removed, sealed with staples, placed in a zip-lock bag, wrapped in aluminum foil, and stored frozen (− 18 °C) until further analysis in the onshore laboratory. The average trawling distance (± 1 standard deviation) for each Manta trawl deployment was 0.96 ± 0.12 km. All samples were analyzed using the same analytical protocol as previously published literature to enable comparability with previous research in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean. Briefly, each Manta trawl sample was thawed then washed into a sieve tower comprising four round stainless-steel sieves (diameter: 29 cm; mesh sizes: 15 mm, 5 mm, 1.5 mm and 0.5 mm, all square). The individual sieves were then placed into round aluminum tins (356 mm diameter, 76 mm height) filled with filtered seawater (< 1 μm) from the North Atlantic Ocean. Multiple LED lights were placed over the sieves from various angles to ensure good lighting conditions, which is particularly important for detecting small microplastics. Subsequently, all particles were identified with the naked eye and hand-picked individually using stainless-steel tweezers. The widest particle dimension was measured with a ruler. Once counted and categorized, the plastic objects were washed with water purified by reverse osmosis, transferred to aluminum dishes, dried at 65 °C for 3.45 h, and weighed using an OHAUS Explorer EX324M scale. Considering that most fragments > 500 μm are visible to the naked eye using good light conditions and that plastic microfibers were not part of the scope of our study, it is unlikely that a significant fraction of non-microfiber microplastics > 500 μm was missed using the methods applied here.; Data Quality Method: The particles extracted from the Manta trawl samples were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy (Agiltron, Inc., PeakSeeker PEK-785 and Thermo Scientific DXR3) to identify the corresponding plastic polymer types. Particles that could not initially be identified were analyzed once more by the ThermoFisher Raman microscope, and resulting spectra were scored using the OMNIC Spectra software against both in-house and provided polymer libraries (Raman Polymer Spectral Library, Thermo Scientific Catalog number: 834–014,101). For all spectra, a minimum match of 75% was used to positively identify the polymer. The numerical concentrations of plastic items measured by each Manta trawl net tow were corrected for wind-induced turbulent mixing. Furthermore, the detection limit was defined as a minimum of one particle collected by the trawl. Measures taken to minimize contamination during sampling and sample processing are as follows. To minimize contamination with plastic fragments, standard non-plastic laboratory and fieldwork equipment such as metal and glass were used whenever possible, and the samples always remained covered with aluminum foil when not in use. Furthermore, all nets and all cod-ends were thoroughly rinsed from the outside prior to each deployment and carefully inspected for the presence of (micro)plastic particles. The Manta trawl was stored rolled up and closed between uses. The seawater (taken from the North Atlantic Ocean) used in the laboratory was filtered through a sequence of filters (< 20 μm, < 5 μm, < 1 μm) and all laboratory equipment (sieves, tweezers, aluminum tins and dishes) was thoroughly rinsed and carefully inspected for cleanliness prior to each use. Contamination by fibers broken off the nylon nets can be excluded as we did not observe any nylon fibers in the cod-end samples. Furthermore, we did not include any microfibers in our analyses, as these fibers typically pass through the trawling nets deployed here. Thus, possible contamination with airborne synthetic fibers (a major source of microplastic contamination) does not impact our results. To evaluate potential plastic contamination during sampling with the Manta trawl, we performed a total of 2 pre- and 9 post-deployment blanks. Pre-deployment blanks were done by trawling the Manta trawl for 4-6 minutes without a cod-end, then attaching a fresh cod-end to the net and hosing it down from the outside. Post-deployment blanks were done by attaching a new cod-end to a Manta trawl that had just been sampled and by subsequently rinsing the net down again into the new cod-end..

Lineage information for: dataset

Processing Steps

Parameter or Variable: MICROPLASTIC CONCENTRATION (measured); Units: pieces/m3; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Manta net; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Pelagic microplastics (from size 0.5mm to 5mm) concentrations were collected onboard RV Pelagia during the 64PE480 Expedition in November 2020. Samples were taken at twelve stations along a cruise transect from the Azores (Ponta Delgada, São Miguel) to the Netherlands (Texel) across the eastern portion of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. The ocean surface was sampled with a Manta trawl (Ocean Instruments, Inc., Fall City, USA) deployed from the starboard crane (to avoid potential contamination from the vessel), sailing at around 1.5 knots. The Manta trawl mouth area was 90 cm × 15 cm (width × height), and the net mesh size was 500 μm (square). Three consecutive trawls, each 20 min in duration, were performed and towed distance was recorded using a mechanical flow meter (General Oceanics, Inc.). After each deployment, the net was rinsed from the outside with seawater and the cod-end (333 μm mesh size) was removed, sealed with staples, placed in a zip-lock bag, wrapped in aluminum foil, and stored frozen (− 18 °C) until further analysis in the onshore laboratory. The average trawling distance (± 1 standard deviation) for each Manta trawl deployment was 0.96 ± 0.12 km. All samples were analyzed using the same analytical protocol as previously published literature to enable comparability with previous research in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean. Briefly, each Manta trawl sample was thawed then washed into a sieve tower comprising four round stainless-steel sieves (diameter: 29 cm; mesh sizes: 15 mm, 5 mm, 1.5 mm and 0.5 mm, all square). The individual sieves were then placed into round aluminum tins (356 mm diameter, 76 mm height) filled with filtered seawater (< 1 μm) from the North Atlantic Ocean. Multiple LED lights were placed over the sieves from various angles to ensure good lighting conditions, which is particularly important for detecting small microplastics. Subsequently, all particles were identified with the naked eye and hand-picked individually using stainless-steel tweezers. The widest particle dimension was measured with a ruler. Once counted and categorized, the plastic objects were washed with water purified by reverse osmosis, transferred to aluminum dishes, dried at 65 °C for 3.45 h, and weighed using an OHAUS Explorer EX324M scale. Considering that most fragments > 500 μm are visible to the naked eye using good light conditions and that plastic microfibers were not part of the scope of our study, it is unlikely that a significant fraction of non-microfiber microplastics > 500 μm was missed using the methods applied here.; Data Quality Method: The particles extracted from the Manta trawl samples were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy (Agiltron, Inc., PeakSeeker PEK-785 and Thermo Scientific DXR3) to identify the corresponding plastic polymer types. Particles that could not initially be identified were analyzed once more by the ThermoFisher Raman microscope, and resulting spectra were scored using the OMNIC Spectra software against both in-house and provided polymer libraries (Raman Polymer Spectral Library, Thermo Scientific Catalog number: 834–014,101). For all spectra, a minimum match of 75% was used to positively identify the polymer. The numerical concentrations of plastic items measured by each Manta trawl net tow were corrected for wind-induced turbulent mixing. Furthermore, the detection limit was defined as a minimum of one particle collected by the trawl. Measures taken to minimize contamination during sampling and sample processing are as follows. To minimize contamination with plastic fragments, standard non-plastic laboratory and fieldwork equipment such as metal and glass were used whenever possible, and the samples always remained covered with aluminum foil when not in use. Furthermore, all nets and all cod-ends were thoroughly rinsed from the outside prior to each deployment and carefully inspected for the presence of (micro)plastic particles. The Manta trawl was stored rolled up and closed between uses. The seawater (taken from the North Atlantic Ocean) used in the laboratory was filtered through a sequence of filters (< 20 μm, < 5 μm, < 1 μm) and all laboratory equipment (sieves, tweezers, aluminum tins and dishes) was thoroughly rinsed and carefully inspected for cleanliness prior to each use. Contamination by fibers broken off the nylon nets can be excluded as we did not observe any nylon fibers in the cod-end samples. Furthermore, we did not include any microfibers in our analyses, as these fibers typically pass through the trawling nets deployed here. Thus, possible contamination with airborne synthetic fibers (a major source of microplastic contamination) does not impact our results. To evaluate potential plastic contamination during sampling with the Manta trawl, we performed a total of 2 pre- and 9 post-deployment blanks. Pre-deployment blanks were done by trawling the Manta trawl for 4-6 minutes without a cod-end, then attaching a fresh cod-end to the net and hosing it down from the outside. Post-deployment blanks were done by attaching a new cod-end to a Manta trawl that had just been sampled and by subsequently rinsing the net down again into the new cod-end..

Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument	Manta net
Platform	R/V Pelagia

Last Modified: 2023-05-12T15:33:12Z
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov

Pelagic distribution of microplastics collected from RV Pelagia in the North Atlantic Ocean from 2020-11-06 to 2020-11-29 (NCEI Accession 0276265)

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