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The NOAA NCEI Global Marine Microplastics Data Collection (1972-present)
Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
|
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
| Metadata Last Checked: October 04, 2025
| Last Modified: 2025-09-18T00:00:00.000+00:00
Microplastics (i.e., plastics measuring less than 5mm) pollution is a growing problem affecting coastal communities, marine ecosystems, aquatic life, and human health. The widespread occurrence of marine microplastics, and the need to curb its threats, require expansive, and continuous monitoring. While microplastic research has increased in recent years and generated significant volumes of data, there is a lack of a robust, open access, and long-term aggregation of this data. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) marine microplastic data collection provides a global open access to marine microplastic data on an easily discoverable and accessible GIS web map and data portal (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/microplastics). The objective of this data portal is to develop a repository where microplastics data are aggregated, archived, and served in a user friendly, consistent, and reliable manner. This work contributes to NCEI’s efforts towards data standardization, integration, harmonization, and interoperability among national and international collaborators for monitoring global marine microplastics.
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microplastic concentration
Avani trawl net
barometer
bottle
compass
corer
dredge
Flow-through pump
fluorescence microscope
Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer
GPS
Manta net
metallic bucket
microscope
net
net - plankton net
net - zooplankton net
Neuston net
Niskin bottle
pump sampler
Raman spectrometer
sediment sampler - corer
sediment sampler - grab
sediment sieve
temperature sensor
thermosalinograph
trap
trawl
in situ
laboratory analyses
AKADEMIK MSTISLAV KELDYSH
AKADEMIK TRYOSHNIKOV (Akademik Treshnikov)
Angeles Alvarino
Cabo de Hornos
Celtic Explorer
CELTIC VOYAGER
CORWITH CRAMER
LA PELAGIA
MALIPPO
NEW HORIZON
NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer
ODEN
ORION
POINT SUR
PROFESSOR KAGANOVSKIY
R/V Pelagia
RRS Discovery
RV Polarstern
S.A. AGULHAS II
Sir James Clark Ross
Solander
SOUTHERN SURVEYOR
SSV ROBERT C. SEAMANS
Tara
URANIA
USS Sea Dragon
XIANG YANG HONG 03
5 Gyres Institute
Adventure Scientists
Atlantic Technological University
Auburn University
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Beibu Gulf University
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Catholic University of Valencia Saint Vincent Martyr
Chulalongkorn University
City University of Hong Kong
Duke University
EAN University
Federal University of Pará
Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Hellenic Centre for Marine Research
Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research
Kenya Marine and Fisheries Institute
Manipal Institute of Technology
Marine Scotland Science
Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari
Metropolitan Autonomous University
National Research Council, Institute of Marine Sciences
National School of Marine Science and Coastal Planning
National Taiwan University, Department of Geosciences
NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Norwegian Institute for Water Research
NOVA University Lisbon
Oceaneye Association
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Polytechnic University of Tapachula
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
Scion Research
Scottish Association for Marine Science
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Sea Education Association
Sorbonne University
State Oceanic Administration, Third Institute of Oceanography
Sultan Qaboos University
The Ocean Cleanup
The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Texas at Austin
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
University of Alaska Anchorage
University of Barcelona
University of Copenhagen
University of Cuenca
University of Ferrara
University of Fribourg
University of Ghana
University of Haifa
University of La Laguna
University of Newcastle
University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography
University of Rovira i Virgili
University of South Florida
University of the Philippines Diliman
University of the South Pacific
University of the West Indies
University of Tokyo
University of Toronto
University of Western Australia
UT Austin Marine Science Institute
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Zhejiang University of Technology
5 Gyres Institute
Atlantic Technological University
Auburn University
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Beibu Gulf University
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Catholic University of Valencia Saint Vincent Martyr
Chulalongkorn University
City University of Hong Kong
Duke University
EAN University
Federal University of Pará
Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Hellenic Centre for Marine Research
Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research
Kenya Marine and Fisheries Institute
Manipal Institute of Technology
Marine Scotland Science
Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari
Metropolitan Autonomous University
Minjiang University
Mississippi State University
National Research Council, Institute of Marine Sciences
National School of Marine Science and Coastal Planning
National Taiwan University, Department of Geosciences
NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Norwegian Institute for Water Research
NOVA University Lisbon
Oceaneye Association
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Polytechnic University of Tapachula
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
Sail and Explore Association
Scion Research
Scottish Association for Marine Science
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Sorbonne University
State Oceanic Administration, Third Institute of Oceanography
Sultan Qaboos University
The Ocean Cleanup
The University of Texas at Austin
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
University of Alaska Anchorage
University of Barcelona
University of Copenhagen
University of Cuenca
University of Ferrara
University of Ghana
University of Haifa
University of La Laguna
University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography
University of Rovira i Virgili
University of South Florida
University of the Philippines Diliman
University of the South Pacific
University of the West Indies
University of Tokyo
University of Toronto
University of Western Australia
UT Austin Marine Science Institute
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Zhejiang University of Technology
World-Wide Distribution
oceanography
DE/GEOMAR > GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany
DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS > National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
NO/NIVA > Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Norway
TUMST > Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
UH&I-UK/SAMS > Scottish Association for Marine Science, University of Highlands and Islands, UK
UK/NERC/PML > Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom
URI/GSO > Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island
WHOI > WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
Adventure Scientists Microplastic Data
Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition
European Commission IDEM
Exzellenzcluster Proposal CP1756, Volvo Ocean Race
Global Change and Air-sea Interaction II (GASI-01-NPAC-STsum)
I-MarCat
Italian Antarctic Research Program (PNRA, 30th Antarctic Expedition)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND Collaborative Research Fellowships for a Responsive and Innovative Europe (CAROLINE)
NCCOS Sponsored Research > RESTORE Science Program
NUREIEV
Plastics in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre
RESTORE Project- Linking habitat to recruitment: evaluating the importance of pelagic Sargassum to fisheries management in the Gulf of Mexico
Red BAMAR
Research on the Marine Chemistry and Sedimentary Environment Baseline in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (No.DY135-E2-5-02)
Scripps Environmental Accumulation of Plastic Expedition (SEAPLEX)
Surface plastic debris in the eastern Pacific Ocean
EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > WATER QUALITY > SEA SURFACE CONTAMINANTS > MICROPLASTIC CONCENTRATION
Earth Science > Agriculture > Agricultural Aquatic Sciences > Fisheries
Earth Science > Biological Classification > Plants > Macroalgae (Seaweeds) > Brown Algae
Field Observation
NOAA RESTORE Science Program Award NA17NOS4510099
Adventure Scientists-Global Microplastic volunteer initiative
Fish Diet Analysis
Fish Gut Analysis
Fisheries
Microplastic Concentration
Microplastic Ingestion
Microplastics
Pelagic Habitat
Pelagic Sargassum
Plastic
Surface Plastic Debris
BAROMETERS > BAROMETERS
COMPASSES
DREDGING DEVICES > DREDGING DEVICES
FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY > FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY
FTIR SPECTROMETER > Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer
GPS RECEIVERS > GPS RECEIVERS
GRAB SAMPLERS
GRANULOMETRIC SIEVES
MICROSCOPES > MICROSCOPES
NETS > NETS
NEUSTON NET
NISKIN BOTTLES
PLANKTON NETS
SEDIMENT CORERS > SEDIMENT CORERS
SPECTROMETERS
TEMPERATURE SENSORS > TEMPERATURE SENSORS
THERMOSALINOGRAPHS
TRAPS > TRAPS
TRAWL
CTD: Idronaut Ocean Seven 304Plus, (Temperatur, Salinität)
Chla: Trios MicroFlu (TTOP Leg 0 till 7, AN Leg 9 till 11) or Trios NanoFlu (TTOP Leg 8 till 12, AN Leg 7; due to swapped systems in Itajaí)
Ocean Pack
pCO2: Licor 840-A
1-L sample bottle
Aluminum bucket
Bongo net
Day grab
Dip Net
Dissecting Microscope
Ekman dredge
Ekman grab
Hand picking
Intake seawater pump
Kubiena box
MOCNESS multinet
Manta net
Manta net, Neuston net, AVANI net (All-purpose Velocity Accelerated Net Instrument)
Megacorer
Metal scoop
Metal spoon
Net tow
Net tows
Neuston
Neuston net
Neuston net; Manta net
PVC cylinder
Petite Ponar benthic grab
Ponar grab sampler
Purse seine net
Remotely operated vehicle
Sabiki hook and line fishing
Sediment grab sampler
Shipek grab sampler
Stainless steel bucket
Stainless steel spoon
Surface water intake
Trowel
Van Dorn sampler
Van Veen grab
Van Veen grab sampler
Water pump
beam trawl
bottom trawling
box corer
cage
cylindrical crab trap
glass jar
hand collection
hand line
handpicking
longline with hooks
market purchase
metal shovel
minnow trap
polycarbonate bottles
quadrat
shovel
stainless steel sampler
stainless steel shovel
stainless steel spatula
stainless-steel spatula
steel corer
stranding
surface gillnet
zooplankton net
SUBMARINE
Ships
AKADEMIK TRYOSHNIKOV (call sign: UBXH3, ICES code: RUB3, 2012-)
CELTIC VOYAGER (call sign: EIQN, ICES code: 45CV, 1997-)
CORWITH CRAMER (call sign: WTF3319, ICES code: 33CC, 1988-)
Cabo de Hornos (call sign: CB7960, ICES code: 20HZ, 2004-)
Celtic Explorer (call sign: EIGB, ICES code: 45CE, 2003-)
Discovery (call sign: 2FGX5, ICES code: 74EQ, 2013-)
LA PELAGIA (call sign: FTNJ, ICES code: 35LG, 1965-1986)
NEW HORIZON (call sign: WKWB, ICES code: 32NM, 1978-2015)
ODEN (call sign: SMLQ, ICES code: 77DN)
OKEANOS EXPLORER (call sign: WTDH, ICES code: 334A, 2008-)
ORION (ICES code: 28OR)
PELAGIA (call sign: PGRQ, ICES code: 64PE, 1991-)
POINT SUR (call sign: WSC2276, ICES code: 32P0, 1980-)
Polarstern (call sign: DBLK, ICES code: 06AQ, 1982-)
Robert C. Seamans (call sign: WDA4486, ICES code: 33GY, 2001-)
S. A. Agulhas II (call sign: ZSNO, ICES code: 91AH, 2009-)
SEA DRAGON (ICES code: 32S2)
SIR JAMES CLARK ROSS (ICES code: 587O, 1923-1930)
SOLANDER (call sign: VMQ9273, ICES code: 09CX)
SOUTHERN SURVEYOR (call sign: VLHJ, ICES code: 09SS, 1988-2014)
Tara (call sign: FVNM, ICES code: 35XI, 2009-)
URANIA (ICES code: 64UR)
XIANG YANG HONG 03 (call sign: BNVB, ICES code: 76X3)
Ángeles Alvariño (call sign: EASE, ICES code: 29AJ, 2012-)
Академик Мстислав Келдыш (ICES code: 90BP, 1981-1992)
ПРОФЕССОР КАГАНОВСКИЙ (call sign: UTTW, ICES code: 90ZH, 1987-1991)
AKADEMIK TRYOSHNIKOV (call sign UBXH3 - ICES code RUB3)
Angeles Alvarino (call sign EASE - ICES code 29AJ)
Comac Enterprise
Dongfeng Race Team
MRV Alba na Mara
MRV Scotia
MS Malippo
MS “Malippo”
MV Maersk Launcher
MV Maersk Transporter
Mapfre
NEW HORIZON (call sign WKWB - ICES code 32NM)
ORV Alguita
Okeanos Explorer (call sign WTDH - ICES code 334A)
R/V Aegeao
R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh
R/V Cap’n Bert
R/V Celtic Voyager
R/V Filia
R/V Kiya
R/V Mediterranean Explorer
R/V Mtafiti
R/V Tara
R/V Xuelong
ROVs
RRS Discovery
RRS James Clark Ross
RV Celtic Explorer
RV IV Lluerna
RV Orion
RV Pelagia
RV Polarstern
RV Professor Kaganovskiy
RV Sir John Murray
RV Stad Amsterdam
RV XIANG YANG HONG 03
S.A. AGULHAS II (call sign ZSNO - ICES code 91AH)
SV Mir
SV Rainbow Warrior
SV Sea Dragon
Sun Hung Kai Scallywag
Team AkzoNobel
Team Brunel
Turn the Tide on Plastic
Vestas 11th Hour Racing
GEOGRAPHIC REGION > GLOBAL OCEAN
Waterbodies > Gulf of Mexico
Alaska
Atlantic Ocean
Australia
Bahamas
Beibu Gulf
Brazil
Bulgarian Black Sea
Canada
Chile
Columbia
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
East-Siberian Sea
Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Eastern Pacific Ocean
Equatorial Guinea
France
Gabes Gulf
Galápagos
Global
Global Ocean
Great Barrier Reef
Greece
Guatemela
Gulf of Guayaquil
Gulf of Lion
Gulf of Venice
Kenya
Kuroshio Current
Laptev Sea
Levantine Sea
Manila Bay
Mexico
NW Mediterranean Sea
Narragansett Bay
New Zealand
North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre
North-West Mediterranean Sea
Northwest Pacific
Northwestern Mediterranean Sea
Pacific Ocean
Playa Grande beach: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
San Francisco Bay
Saronikos Gulf
Scotland
Sea of Oman
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Western Indian Ocean
Western Mediterranean
Western North Pacific Ocean
0370R2
06NWEE
09PKB9
0CCB5U
123CE1
139DEU
1RP301
226PKB
22YR0K
26430G
2M20XB
2X9KKU
31JGEX
35F99T
383Y9U
3BFHT5
3JK15T
3KC69K
4520RA
4JPDWP
4M115G
56JD45
5XFHCF
6D80CE
6NGB2H
74EPET
77WG2K
83849B
897C1N
8A0WYC
8HHW34
93J4B6
96BCU7
9RFULE
9XJUG9
9XWYE5
A03JJG
A6C6B1
A8RCBD
B0C93N
B8LX93
BAU8LM
BFFY91
BMEKJC
C1W8UH
C75PAK
CU2GE7
D7B70T
DCK5W1
DFTHMR
DMM5WT
E28YL3
EA11N3
EDE1PT
EFD6MK
EKJ0L9
ERWNCY
ETL10F
F1KAUU
FJM26N
G4X6P2
G5HM13
GFGLY1
GY7KLK
H1MENE
H1R14M
H34EKT
H4MBXJ
HKP7PB
J1XPR6
KF4KLC
KTLDD1
KXW1J8
LA71JF
LPRRLM
LUBKCP
M8NU9G
MK0DL7
N1PPYL
N37EY9
NBM4KM
NCLL0F
NCWWEH
NDFWW7
NETMK9
NMMXKB
P6L6AF
PNUBR9
PYTFGE
RCR7LN
RJ6BCX
TGPMFR
TKM7FJ
TTMNDE
U21DKX
UGU4PM
WDPK8Y
WU1NRY
X3TWUH
X54F7A
YMF0NM
YMXDHP
YPXRBR
YY6CU4
Complete Metadata
| describedByType | application/octet-steam |
|---|---|
| identifier | gov.noaa.nodc:NCEI-Marine-Microplastics |
| issued | 2018-04-11T00:00:00.000+00:00 |
| landingPage | https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact |
| language | [] |
| references |
[ "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02632-y" ] |
| rights | otherRestrictions |
| spatial | 180.0,-72.0,-180.0,90.0 |
| temporal | 1972-04-20T00:00:00+00:00/1972-04-20T00:00:00+00:00 |