The data investigates the effects of commonly used microplastic separation techniques using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as a model microplastic. Data explores the efficiency of each technique (i.e. visual, density separation, acidic digestion and enzymatic digestion), spiked recovery of microparticles, and potential chemical and physical changes on HDPE from biologically-rich seawater samples. Data was generated through laboratory experimentation at AIMS, Townsville in 2017. Data was analysed statistically to determine difference between treatments.

This published research assesses microplastic ingestion and retention by coral reef fish, which are important information to assess ecological risks of this emergent contaminant to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR, Australia). Fish were collected with SCUBA and nets at Lizard Island (North GBR), exposed to microplastics under laboratory conditions at Lizard Island Research Station, and processed (i.e., gastrointestinal tract chemically digested, filtered and analysed under microscope) to assess microplastic ingestion at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Townsville (Queensland, Australia). Data was statistically analysed using general linear model in R, kinetics model, one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparisons tests.

This release includes all data collected in support of a juvenile Chinook salmon exposure study designed to understand the retention of microplastic clothing fibers (hereon refered to as "microfibers") after feeding. To understand the potential impacts of microfiber ingestion to fish, we ran a feeding experiment with juvenile Chinook salmon to determine if ingested fibers are retained and/or digestion rates altered over a full, experimentally determined, 10 day digestion period. Data includes: fish weights, microfiber counts, and quality assurance (QA) data for the experiment. QA steps are detailed in the process section of the metadata.

This release includes all data collected in support of a juvenile Chinook salmon exposure study designed to understand the retention of microplastic clothing fibers (hereon refered to as "microfibers") after feeding. To understand the potential impacts of microfiber ingestion to fish, we ran a feeding experiment with juvenile Chinook salmon to determine if ingested fibers are retained and/or digestion rates altered over a full, experimentally determined, 10 day digestion period. Data includes: fish weights, microfiber counts, and quality assurance (QA) data for the experiment. QA steps are detailed in the process section of the metadata.

Data is for three experiments. The first experiment examined calcification effects of ingested microbeads. The second experiment observed ingestion rates of four size classes of microbeads and how long they were retained. The third experiment observed and compared ingestion rates of one microbead size class and microfibers 3-5mm in length. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Hankins, C., A. Duffy, and K. Drisco. Scleractinian coral microplastic ingestion: Potential calcification effects, size limits, and retention. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 135: 587-593, (2018).

Data is for three experiments. The first experiment examined calcification effects of ingested microbeads. The second experiment observed ingestion rates of four size classes of microbeads and how long they were retained. The third experiment observed and compared ingestion rates of one microbead size class and microfibers 3-5mm in length. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Hankins, C., A. Duffy, and K. Drisco. Scleractinian coral microplastic ingestion: Potential calcification effects, size limits, and retention. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 135: 587-593, (2018).

This published study developed a criteria-guided workflow to assess the effectiveness of microplastic separation methods on complex marine biological matrices. More specifically, the use of four microplastic separation methods commonly applied in the literature (nitric acid, HNO3, and potassium hydroxide, KOH, digestions, and sodium chloride, NaCl, and potassium iodide, KI, density flotations) were evaluated on four abundant marine taxa (hard coral, sponge, sea squirt, sea cucumber) using five environmentally relevant microplastics (fragments of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinylchloride, as well as rayon fibres). Methods were deemed efficient when (1) rates of sample clarification were appropriate, (2) effects on physical and chemical characteristics of microplastics were negligible, and (3) recovery rates of spiked microplastics into sample matrices were high. Specimens of Acropora millepora (hard coral), Rhopaloeides odorabile (sponge), Polycarpa aurata (sea squirt), and Holothuria atra (sea cucumber) were opportunistically collected from five reefs in the central Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Rib Reef, Taylor Reef, Feather Reef, John Brewer Reef, Farquharson Reef) in 2017 and 2019. Irregular microplastic fragments and fibres were produced in the laboratory at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), in Townsville (Queensland, Australia). This work was primarly conducted through controlled laboratory experiments at AIMS. Microplastic sizes were statistically analysed using general linear model in R. All other parametres assessed were not statistically analysed.

The dataset include ingestion data of microplastics by four Atlantic coral species. Ingestion data are reported as proportions from 0-1 from microplastics offered to each coral fragment. Additionally, the dataset include calyx measurements from all coral species. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Hankins, C., S. Raimondo, and D. Lasseigne. Microplastic ingestion by coral as a function of the interaction between calyx and microplastic size.. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. Elsevier BV, AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, 810: 152333, (2022).

This collection presents experimental data and a literature meta-analysis to understand microplastic translocation to fish tissue and egestion rates. Juvenile barramundi (Lates calcifer) were exposed through their diet to polyamide (PA) fibres and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibres and fragments (8–547 μm in length) to determine if shape, size, and polymer type influence microplastic translocation and egestion rates.