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Complete dataset on microplastic particles found at the Massaciuccoli Lake area
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Scientists tested groundwater from wells near an Italian lake and found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) hiding underground, not just in surface water. This matters because groundwater is often used for drinking water, so understanding how microplastics get into these hidden water sources helps researchers figure out new ways these particles might reach our bodies.
The selected study area for this research is located near the Massaciuccoli Lake (Tuscany, Central Italy), a coastal wetland that has been subject to sustained anthropogenic pressure over the past century. Two sampling campaigns to characterise MPs content were carried out in five piezometers (S1-5) in July 2025 and October 2025. MPs extraction was performed in three main steps - filtering (stainless steel 20µm), density separation (SPT 1.6 g cm⁻³) and organic matter digestion (H2O2 30%). MPs analysis was performed at the Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences Department, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Samples were transferred onto 0.22 µm Anodisc alumina membranes prior to spectroscopic analysis. MPs identification was carried out using a Perkin Elmer Spotlight 400 FTIR imaging microscope equipped with a mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) detector and operated in transmission mode. Spectral acquisition was performed using a scan range of 3650 - 1250 cm⁻¹ at a spectral resolution of 8 cm⁻¹. Background measurements were collected with 15 scans per pixel, while sample scans were acquired with 1 scan per pixel at a scan speed of 2.2 cm⁻¹. The resulting image datasets had a pixel size of 25 µm and were generated over an imaging area of up to 20,000 × 20,000 pixels. Atmospheric correction was applied during post-processing. MPs identification was performed using a semi-automated screening approach. Spectral matching was conducted using a similarity threshold of 70% against a reference library provided by the research group. Raw FTIR imaging data were processed using siMPle software (v1.1 Beta). The dataset presented here describes each particle indentified in terms of polymer assingment, similarity (Max_score), size (major_dim, minor_dim, area on map, volume), and estimated mass. The second tab on the spreadsheet named "sampling" contaings information about well location, casing material, purging, and volume sampled.
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Complete dataset on microplastic particles found at the Massaciuccoli Lake area
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Scientists tested underground water near an Italian coastal wetland and found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in the groundwater itself. This matters because groundwater often feeds drinking water supplies, and this research provides detailed data on plastic types and sizes that could help experts understand how these particles move through natural water systems and potentially reach the water we drink.
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in underground water sources in Italy by studying how water moves through different soil layers. The research shows that these plastic particles mostly come from nearby local sources rather than traveling long distances underground, and they get trapped when they hit clay or other dense soil layers. This matters because understanding how microplastics move through groundwater helps us better protect drinking water sources and figure out where plastic pollution is coming from.
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