Microplastics in Thames Basin Sediments from 2014 Sampling

Environmental Information Data Centre provides data on plastic particles extracted from sediment samples in three Thames tributaries. The dataset includes site characteristics, dry sediment weight, particle counts, and particle characteristics like shape, colour, and polymer type. Samples were collected from four sites between late August and early September 2014.

Use Cases

• Correlate microplastic particle counts with site characteristics like sewage input and population density.
• Analyze the distribution of polymer types (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene) across different sampling locations.
• Model relationships between dry weight of sediment analysed and the number of extracted particles.
• Classify microplastics by recorded characteristics such as shape and colour.

Strengths

• Includes detailed particle characteristics: shape, colour, and seven identified polymer types.
• Samples from four sites designed to represent a gradient from low to high sewage input.
• Clear temporal coverage from a defined sampling period in late summer 2014.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to a single sampling period in 2014, lacking temporal trends.
• Geographic scope is restricted to three tributaries within the UK Thames Basin.
• Unknown row count and column structure limits assessment of dataset scale.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre

Collection Method

Sediment samples collected from four sites on three tributaries (River Leach, River Lambourn, The Cut) as part of the CEH Thames initiative.

Time Range

Late August to early September 2014

Freshness

Data last updated in the system on 2026 -03-11, but the underlying data is from 2014.

Geography

Three tributaries of the River Thames Basin, UK