This study estimated the concentration of microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring less than 5mm, reported in unit of pieces per g d.w.) in deep-sea sediments from Rockall Trough (Scotland, UK) on 2017-05-18. Microplastic data were collected aboard RRS Discovery using a megacorer. This dataset contains the results from all 90 deep-sea sediment samples, in a spreadsheet format.

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.

This study assessed the load of surface microplastics (i.e. plastics less than 5mm, reported in unit of pieces/m^3) abundance at 124 sites in the Mediterranean Sea from 2014-06-03 to 2014-11-08. Microplastics data were collected aboard R/V Tara using manta net, towed at the top 10 cm of the sea surface with an average speed of 2.5-3 knots for 60 minutes. This dataset contains the results from all surface net tows, in a spreadsheet format.

This study was carried out to estimate the microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring less than 5mm, reported in unit of pieces/m^3) concentration in the Bay of Bengal and South Pacific Ocean. Microplastics data was collected from 2013-05-27 to 2015-11-04. The Bay of Bengal expedition was aboard SV Mir while the South Pacific Ocean expedition was aboard RV Cabo de Hornos. During the two expeditions, the study investigated whether the microplastics sampling instruments, the new, high-speed AVANI trawl (All-purpose Velocity Accelerated Net Instrument) collected similar amounts and types of microplastics as two established scientific trawl designs, the manta trawl and the neuston net. The AVANI trawl can collect microplastics from the sea surface at relatively higher speeds up to 8 knots and during long transits (allowing for a nearly continuous sampling effort over long distances), whereas the manta and neuston trawls must be towed slowly in a less turbulent sea state and often represent shorter tow lengths. This dataset contains the results from all 36 sampling stations in the Bay of Bengal and 52 sampling stations in the South Pacific Ocean, in a spreadsheet format.

This study estimated the concentration of marine plastics in waters around Australia using surface Neuston and Manta net tows. Data was collected during seven transit voyages aboard Australian vessels. The study undertook three consecutive 15-minute net tows at 57 locations. The 839 marine plastics recorded during the study were predominantly small fragments (i.e. ‘‘microplastics’’, median length = 2.8 mm, mean length = 4.9 mm) resulting from the breakdown of larger objects made of polyethylene and polypropylene (e.g. packaging and fishing items).

This study was carried out to estimate the surface microplastics (plastics from size 0.5mm to 5mm, reported in unit of pieces/m^3) concentration in the North Pacific Ocean. Microplastics data was collected from 2018-11-01 to 2018-12-04 aboard MV Maersk Transporter, using a manta net. This dataset contains the results from all 16 sampling efforts, in a spreadsheet format.

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.

This study estimated the concentration of surface microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring less than 5mm; reported in unit of items/m3) in the Arrábida coastal area, Portugal from 2018-08-22 to 2019-02-27. Microplastics in the surface water were collected using a neuston net. This dataset contains the results from all 36 surface water samples, in a spreadsheet format

This study estimated the seasonal abundances of sea surface microplastics (i.e. plastics measuring 0.3mm- 5mm, reported in unit of pieces/m^3) at 17 sites along the Israeli Mediterranean coastal waters from 2013-07-25 to 2015-05-18. Data was collected using a manta net. This dataset contains the results from all 108 net tows, in a spreadsheet format. Tows were conducted for 15 minutes along shore at an average cruising speed of 2 knots.