This data describes the characterisation and estimated concentration of marine plastics in waters around Australia from surface net tows. The marine plastics recorded were predominantly small fragments (‘‘microplastics’’) resulting from the breakdown of larger objects made of polyethylene and polypropylene (e.g. packaging and fishing items). This data accompanies the following publication: Reisser J, Shaw J, Wilcox C, Hardesty BD, Proietti M, et al. (2013) Marine Plastic Pollution in Waters around Australia: Characteristics, Concentrations, and Pathways. PLoS ONE 8(11): e80466. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080466

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous throughout the marine environment, yet estimates of the global abundance and weight of floating plastics have lacked data, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere and remote regions. Here we report an estimate of the total number of plastic particles and their weight floating in the world’s oceans from 24 expeditions (2007–2013) across all five sub-tropical gyres, coastal Australia, Bay of Bengal and the Mediterranean Sea conducting surface net tows (N5680) and visual survey transects of large plastic debris (N5891). Using an oceanographic model of floating debris dispersal calibrated by our data, and correcting for wind-driven vertical mixing, we estimate a minimum of 5.25 trillion particles weighing 268,940 tons. When comparing between four size classes, two microplastic <4.75 mm and meso- and macroplastic >4.75 mm, a tremendous loss of microplastics is observed from the sea surface compared to expected rates of fragmentation, suggesting there are mechanisms at play that remove <4.75 mm plastic particles from the ocean surface.

Supporting information documents for Brignac et al manuscript entitled, "Marine Debris Polymers on Main Hawaiian Island Beaches, Sea Surface, and Seafloor." Files include raw data tables of each debris item that was categorized and measured as well as additional figures of interpreted data.

This data package was created 2025-12-03 11:06:28 by NPSTORET and includes selected project, location, and result data. Data are from Paulina M. Welch, Peter J. Schupp, and Gary R.W. Denton's (University of Guam Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific) 2015 Technical Report #151 entitled "Utility of the Soft Coral Sinularia polydactyla, as a Biomonitor for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Tropical Marine Waters: A Preliminary Assessment" funded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the Guam Coastal Management Program. This study was intended to thoroughly examine Sinularia polydactyla, a soft coral later reclassified as Sclerophytum polydactylum, as a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) biomonitor in the field. Additionally, comparative studies were conducted to determine the effects of age, gender, season and water column position on tissue concentrations. Note: Only data for PCB variations within and between colonies, and concentrations measured at time zero for the transplant research are reported here. Data contained in WAPA_NPSTORET_BE.ACCDB (NPSTORET back-end file) were filtered to include: Organization: - WAPA: War in the Pacific National Historical Park Project: - WAPA0028: Utility of the Soft Coral, Sinularia polydactyla as a Biomonitor of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Tropical Marine Waters Station: - Include Trip QC And All Station Visit Results Value Status: - Accepted or Certified (exported as Final) or Final The data package is organized into six data tables: - Projects.csv - describes the purpose and background of the monitoring efforts - Locations.csv - documents the attributes of the monitoring locations/stations - Results.csv - contains the field measurements, observations, and/or lab analyses for each sample/event/data grouping - HUC.csv - enumerates the domain of allowed values for 8-digit and 12-digit hydrologic unit codes utilized by the Locations data table - Characteristics.csv - enumerates the domain of characteristics available in NPSTORET to identify what was sampled, measured or observed in Results - Taxon.csv - enumerates the domain of taxa available in NPSTORET to identify the organism sampled for Results Period of record for filtered data is 2007-05-10 to 2007-09-03. This data package is a snapshot in time of one National Park Service project. The most current data for this project, which may be more or less extensive than that in this data package, can be found on the Water Quality Portal at: https://www.waterqualitydata.us/data/Result/search?project=WAPA0028&mimeType=csv&zip=yes&dataProfile=biological&providers=STORET