Supporting information for the publication: An Evaluation of Microplastics in Gastric Samples from Free-Ranging Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Microplastic contamination is ubiquitious throughout the marine and terrestrial environments; however, exposure is not well understood in bottlenose dolphins. The objective of this descriptive study was to screen for evidence of microplastic ingestion and evaluate the characteristics of ingested microplastics (e.g., shape, color, quantity). Ultimately, these findings will contribute to a larger effort to understand potential sources of phthalate exposure among Sarasota Bay dolphins. This dataset contains characteristics of observed microplastic particles, including particle type, size, color, and counts in gastric fluid samples from the dolphins. Gastric fluid samples were obtained from free-ranging dolphins during opportunistic, capture-release health assessments. Particles were characterized visually using a dissection microscope (Leica EZ4, magnification 8-35x).