READ ME File for the Publication 'Assessment of vacuuming technology capabilities for microplastic removal in an urban coastal environment at Chessel Bay, Southampton (UK)'

https://doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/D3318

DATASET (1) - 'DryWeight-PlasticContent-Conversions'

DATASET (2) - 'Micro-Meso-Macro (Plastic) Counts'

Authors:
Colm Crosby (1), Ben Parker (2), , … Malcolm D. Hudson (1), Joshua Beech (3), Victoria Dominguez Almela (1)*

Institutions:

1-School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
2-Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, UK.
*Corresponding author: v.dominguez-almela@soton.ac.uk
3-Nurdle

Author Contributions:

Colm Crosby: Conceptualisation, Methodology, Sample collection, Sample processing, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing – original draft. 
Ben Parker: Conceptualisation, Methodology, Writing – original draft. 
Malcolm D. Hudson: Initial conceptualisation and methodology, Direction of field work and laboratory analysis, Writing- revision of manuscript. 
Josh Beech: Conceptualisation of field cleanup and sampling. 
Victoria Dominguez Almela: Conceptualisation, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing – original draft, Supervision. 

Author Contact Email:

Colm Crosby - cbpc1g21@soton.ac.uk
Ben Parker - B.Parker2@exeter.ac.uk
Malcolm Hudson - mdh@soton.ac.uk
*Victoria Dominguez Almela - v.dominguez-almela@soton.ac.uk
Josh Beech - josh@nurdle.org.uk

DATASET (1) DESCRIPTION: The excel file contains dry weight data calculated for six sites during 3 sampling  for subsamples used for generating Table.1 & 2 and Fig.2.

DATASET (2) DESCRIPTION: The excel file contains tallies of plastic morphologies, colour, and size range through visual analysis for six sites from 3 sampling months. Data is used for generating Table.3 & 4.

Tables:

Table.1 - Site substrate descriptions, microplastic weights (mg kg-1 dry weights) and particle abundance (particles kg-1 dry weights). Site descriptions include a comment on the particle size as well as detailing the presence, type and coverage with organic matter and vegetation. Values presented are mean ± standard deviation for n = 3 sampling occasions. Sites were sampled during the highest Spring tide of each month.

Table.2 - Sampling occasions with stage, corresponding tides on samplings, microplastic weights (mg kg-1 dry weights) and microplastic particle abundance (particles kg-1 dry weights). Values presented are mean ± standard deviation for n = 6 sampling sites. Sites were sampled during the highest Spring tide of each month.

Table.3 - Particle count (n) and percentages (%) of recovered microplastic (< 5 mm) particles from January (pre-clean up), April (end of clean up) and September (5 months post-clean up), for different particle morphologies. Percentages are given in brackets.

Table.4 - Colour proportions of recovered microplastic (< 5 mm) particles (n = 4,544) and mesoplastic / macroplastic particles (n = 443) from January (pre-clean up), April (end of clean up) and September (5 months post-clean up).

Figures:

Figure.1 - Location of the Chessel Bay area study site within Southampton, Hampshire (UK). Study sites each have letters and locations of plastic manufacturing companies and maritime industries are identified within the Chessel Bay Local Nature Reserve and surrounding area. 

Figure.2 - The distribution in microplastic concentration by sampling occasion. Mean values are added to the boxplots as well as significant comparisons for n = 6 sampling sites.   

Data Collection Dates:

January 2023
April 2023
September 2023

Geographic Location of Data Collection: Chessel Bay Local Nature Reserve

Grid Reference for Each Sampling Location

Site A is SU4384813187 

Site C is SU4392913157

Site E is SU4401913112

Site R is SU4417412933

Site G is SU4425512820

Site J is SU4427312754

Publisher: University of Southampton

Date: March 2026


**Licenses or restrictions placed on the data**
**Links to publications that cite or use the data**
**Method description, links or references to publications or other documentation containing experimental design or protocols used in data collection (if applicable)**