Microplastic abundance in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland (2021)

Microplastics are plastic particles ranging from 1 µm to 5 mm. We studied the microplastic concentration in surface waters as well as the sediment of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, Canada. Surface water samples were collected with a Plankton as well as a Neuston net at nine stations and sediment samples were collected with Van-Veen grab at six stations within the Bay in the summer of 2021 and microplastics >300 µm were isolated. The isolated microplastics were counted and categorized by size, shape, and color. Microplastic polymer composition was identified on a representative subsample by Raman microspectroscopy. This dataset is divided into the individual visual counts for the Plankton net samples, the Neuston net samples, and the sediment samples. Additionally, the Raman microspectroscopy identification is listed separately. This project is part of the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program Initiative under the Oceans Protection Plan of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.