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A multilevel dataset of microplastic abundance in the world’s upper ocean and the Laurentian Great Lakes
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Researchers synthesized 8,218 pelagic microplastic samples from the world's oceans into a multilevel public dataset, calibrating for sampling differences and vertical mixing effects to provide standardized global estimates of upper ocean microplastic abundance.
Abstract A total of 8218 pelagic microplastic samples from the world’s oceans were synthesized to create a dataset composed of raw, calibrated, processed, and gridded data which are made available to the public. The raw microplastic abundance data were obtained by different research projects using surface net tows or continuous seawater intake. Fibrous microplastics were removed from the calibrated dataset. Microplastic abundance which fluctuates due to vertical mixing under different oceanic conditions was standardized. An optimum interpolation method was used to create the gridded data; in total, there were 24.4 trillion pieces (8.2 × 10 4 ~ 57.8 × 10 4 tons) of microplastics in the world’s upper oceans.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.