Microplastic pollution isolation - a forensic science approach

To use this dataset, please download and extract the zip file that it contains, then read the Introduction that is provided in that file. This dataset contains the raw experimental data that resulted from the simulation experiment reported by Gwinnett Osborne and Jackson (2021). It also contains the raw spectral data that was used to plot the Raman spectra given in that paper, together with the R code that was used to process and analyse both these sets of raw data and the output from that code. As described in the Introduction referred to above, that simulation experiment was primarily designed to explore the effect of filter type and Büchner funnel type on the rate of target microplastic (MP) particle recovery from filters by tape lifting with Easylift®. The data generated also allowed the effect of those factors on the rate of target MP particle recovery from water by filtration to be studied. The target MP particles used were fluorescent polyester fibres taken from a high-visibility vest. That simulation experiment has a 2 x 2 balanced factorial design. In that experiment, the dependent variable of primary interest (DV1) was the percentage of target MP particles present on the filter that were recovered on the tape. The independent variables (IVs) were the factors: • filter type (with two levels); • funnel type (also with two levels). Data were also gathered that allowed: • the filters’ water contents at the point of tape lifting to be known and used as a covariate; • a dependent variable of secondary interest (DV2) to be calculated. DV2 is the percentage of target MP particles present in the water that were recovered on the filter. Both DV1 and DV2 are recovery rates and are referred to as such in this dataset. The simulation experiment had three repeat determinations for each unique combination of factor levels - giving a total of 12 determinations overall for each. For each of these, data were recorded that allowed each of the two recovery rates and the covariate referred to above to be calculated. The Raman spectra were obtained from four samples. This was done via confocal Raman spectroscopy using a Renishaw inVia Raman Microscope with Leica microscope. The raw Raman spectra were exported as x, y coordinate data. By means of source code provided in this dataset, these spectra were each processed using the R programming language to correct for baseline drift and to use LOESS smoothing to boost the signal to noise ratio. Further experimental details are provided in the dataset. Reference: Gwinnett, C M B, Osborne, A O and Jackson, A R W (2021) The application of tape lifting in microplastic pollution monitoring, Environmental Advances, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envadv.2021.100066