Microplastics in zooplankton samples from the the Fram Strait and the Arctic from July 2018 and August 2019

• Main Authors: Botterell, Zara, Bergmann, Melanie, Hildebrandt, Nicole, Krumpen, Thomas, Steinke, Michael, Thompson, Richard C, Lindeque, Pennie K
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2022
• Subjects: Amphipoda; Arctic; Bioavailability; BONGO; Bongo net; copepod; CTD/Rosette; CTD-RO; Depth; bottom/max; top/min; Event label; Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in combination with automated polymer identification (SIMPLE software); FRAM; Fram Strait; FRontiers in Arctic marine Monitoring; FTIR SIMPLE software; James Clark Ross; JR18007; JR18007_11; JR18007_130; JR18007_57; JR18007_97; LATITUDE; Length; maximal; Light frame on-sight keyspecies investigation; LOKI; LONGITUDE; marine litter; microplastic ingestion; Microplastics; MSN; MSN150; Multiple opening/closing net; 150 µm meshsize; Number of individuals; PARCA; Particle camera; Plastic pollution; Polarstern; Polymer; PS114; PS114_4-1; PS114_4-2; PS114_4-5; PS114_4-6; PS114_46-7; Zooplankton
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.950296; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.950296

Zooplankton (amphipod and copepod) were collected using nets in the Fram Strait and the Arctic, in July 2018 and August 2019 for microplastic analysis. Water samples were also collected from the underway system and CTD alongside the August 2019 zooplankton samples (https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.950239). All samples were initially digested using a homogenising solution and then filtered in preparation for Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis in combination with an automated polymer identification approach (SIMPLE software) to identify polymer types, shape and size. Microplastics were also visualised using a microscope to further determine shape and size, particularly of fibres. Data collected on the microplastics found includes polymer type, shape, size, species ingestion and location.