Uptake of microplastic fragments and fibres by Hediste diversicolor using two feeding modes and environmental uptake of microplastic by H. diversicolor to support the experiment data.

A dataset detailing the relative uptake of 500 µm polyamide fibres and <50 µm polyamide fragments into Hediste diversicolor over 1 week. Worms were collected from Exton on the Exe Estuary (50°40´03.1” N 3°26´39.2” W) and exposed either solely in water with a glass burrow and algae paste to elicit filter feeding or in sediment to encourage deposit feeding. Nine worms were removed from each exposure every 24 hours for 1 week, euthanised and the number of internal microplastics enumerated. Furthermore, 30 worms were collected from 3 estuaries in the SW of England; namely the Plym, Plymouth (50°22´22.3” N 4°06´10.6” W), Bowcombe Creek on the Kingsbridge Estuary (50°16´36.9” N 3°45´37.8”W), and at Exton on the Exe Estuary (50°40´03.1” N 3°26´39.2” W). These worms were processed to assess their internal microplastic loads and 10 x 50 g sediment samples were also collected to identify and enumerate microplastic contamination levels. Worms collected for experimentation were collected by Adam Porter, Worms and Sediment collected for the environmental assessment were collected by Cathy Hobbs. Processing of the experimental worms was undertaken by Adam Porter and the environmental worms and sediment were processed by Cathy Hobbs.