93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e English ISO/IEC 8859-1 (also known as Latin 1) dataset dataset NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg Lancaster LA1 4AP UK info@eidc.ac.uk https://eidc.ac.uk/ EIDC website The Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC) is the UK's national data centre for terrestrial and freshwater sciences. information pointOfContact 2025-11-13T16:14:51 UK GEMINI 2.3 OSGB 1936 / British National Grid Microplastics in sediments of the River Thames Basin, UK 2017-04-26 publication https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e 10.5285/93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e doi: Horton, A.A., Svendsen, C., Williams, R., Spurgeon, D., Lahive, E. (2017). Microplastics in sediments of the River Thames Basin, UK. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre 10.5285/93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e This dataset provides numbers and types of plastic particles extracted from sediment samples of three tributaries of the river Thames: the River Leach, the River Lambourn and The Cut. These rivers are regularly monitored for a range of water quality and biological characteristics as part of the ongoing CEH Thames initiative project. Four sampling sites were selected based on the average percentage of effluent present in the river and population equivalent density to represent scenarios ranging from low sewage input and population equivalent density (Leach and Lanbourn) through an intermediate site (the Cut) to a site with high sewage input and population equivalent density (also in the Cut). The samples were collected between late August and early September 2014. The data provides information on the site characteristics, dry weight of sediment analysed (in grams), number of microplastic particles extracted and characteristics of particles (including shape, colour and polymer type). Types of polymers identified include: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon and polyester. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e Horton, A. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk pointOfContact Horton, A.A. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6058-6048 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Svendsen, C. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk author Williams, R. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk author Spurgeon, D. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3264-8760 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author Lahive, E. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9975-8521 ORCID record ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers. information author NERC Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk publisher NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk custodian UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology enquiries@ceh.ac.uk owner notPlanned Environmental Monitoring Facilities theme GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 publication polyethylene terephtalate polyvinyl chloride plastic pollution freshwater sediment GEMET - Concepts, version 4.1.3 2019-01-28 creation Pollution Microplastics Raman polyethylene polypropylene nylon polystyrene polyester otherRestrictions no limitations otherRestrictions This resource is made available under the terms of the Open Government Licence otherRestrictions © UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology otherRestrictions If you reuse this data, you should cite: Horton, A.A., Svendsen, C., Williams, R., Spurgeon, D., Lahive, E. (2017). Microplastics in sediments of the River Thames Basin, UK. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre https://doi.org/10.5285/93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e textTable English utf8 environment inlandWaters utilitiesCommunication 2014-08-28 2014-09-03 -2.625 0.557 51.087 52.237 Comma-separated values (CSV) NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre info@eidc.ac.uk distributor https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/data/93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e Download the data Download a copy of this data download https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/sd/93837492-408f-4349-8dcd-ee833e84e47e.zip Supporting information Supporting information available to assist in re-use of this dataset information dataset dataset Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 The average percentage effluent present in the river was estimated using the Low Flows 2000 (LF2000) WQX (Water Quality eXtension) model. The population equivalent density was calculated using population within the catchment area (of known area) served by the upstream sewage treatment works. This site characteristic data is given in the datasheet ThamesMicroplastics_SamplingLocations. Four replicate sediment samples were taken at each site using a stainless steel scoop, collected into a 1 L glass jar. In the laboratory the 1 L sediment samples were wet-sieved and sediment in the size ranges 1-2 mm and 2-4 mm was retained for further analysis. Microplastic particles were extracted using a number of steps, consisting of manual sorting and density separation with zinc chloride solution (1.7-1.8 kg/L). Each sample comprised a different volume and weight following size-sieving, therefore the inclusion of dry weight data allows for the conversion of total microplastic particles into a concentration (e.g. particles/kg dry sediment) for comparability between samples (ThamesMicroplastics_NumberOfParticles). A subsample (20%) of particles were characterised by type and colour, with composition determined using Raman spectroscopy (ThamesMicroplastics_ParticleCharacteristics). Further details on the methods used for particle extraction and characterisation are available in the supporting information.