DOI: 10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f1d
title: Microparticles in fish muscle and gastrointestinal samples from Sarasota Bay, FL

description: Microplastics have been found in the gastrointestinal (GI) fluid of
 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), inhabiting Sarasota Bay, FL,
 suggesting exposure by ingestion, possibly via contaminated fish. To
 better understand the potential for trophic transfer, muscle and GI
 tissues from 11 species of dolphin prey fish collected from Sarasota Bay
 were screened for microplastics (particles &lt;5mm diameter).
 Suspected microplastics were found in 82% of muscle samples (n=89), and
 97% of GI samples (n=86). Particle abundance and shapes varied by species
 (p&lt;0.05) and foraging habit (omnivore vs. carnivore,
 p&lt;0.05). Pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) had the highest particle
 abundance for both tissue types (muscle: 0.38 particles/g; GI: 15.20
 particles/g), which has implications for dolphins as they are a common
 prey item. Findings from this study support research demonstrating the
 ubiquity of estuarine plastic contamination and underscore the risks of
 ingestion exposure for wildlife and potentially seafood consumers.
description: Fish were dissected on metal trays using stainless steel scalpels
 and forceps. Muscle tissue was extracted through a lateral incision
 extending from the gill slits to the caudal fin, followed by descaling.
 After removing the filets, the GI tissue was isolated by severing the
 esophagus and the most posterior section of the intestines. Muscle and GI
 tissues were digested using a 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution at 60
 °C for 24-72 hours to dissolve all organic material. The resulting
 digestate was vacuum filtered onto a GF/A 1.6 μm glass fiber filter within
 a fume hood. Samples containing large quantities of inorganic solids or
 durable organic remnants (i.e., sediment, crustacean exoskeletons, bone,
 and scales) were pre-filtered through 63 μm and 500 μm sieves prior to
 vacuum filtration. Filters were then placed in covered petri dishes and
 stored in a cabinet to dry. Suspected microplastics were visually
 identified under a Leica EZ4 microscope at 16-35x magnification.
 Characteristics of suspected microplastics included homogenous coloring,
 absence of organic or cellular structures, and uniform thickness of
 fibrous particles. Suspected microplastics were categorized by color and
 shape. Plastic testing was conducted with a heated (250 °C) soldering
 needle, which causes plastic particles to bend or melt, as most polymers
 melt near a temperature of 250°C.
description: # Microparticles in Fish Muscle and Gastrointestinal Samples from Sarasota
 Bay, FL
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f1d](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nvx0k6f1d) ## Description of the data and file structure ### Files and variables 1\. Tab "GI Tissue Blank Corrected" - provides counts of microparticles observed in gastrointestinal tissue from fish; counts have been corrected for particles observed in associated procedural blanks; no missing values 2\. Tab "Muscle Tissue Blank Corrected" - provides counts of microparticles observed in muscle tissue from fish; counts have been corrected for particles observed in associated procedural blanks; no missing values 3\. Tab "BlankData" - provides counts of microparticles observed in procedural blanks; no missing values 4\. Tab "DATA GUIDE" - provides information on the variables included in Tabs 1-3; no missing values | Column Name | Explanation | Data Type | | :------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------- | | SampleID | Sample label | Categorical, text | | FishID | Fish ID (species, fish #); "\_GI" for gastrointestinal tissue sample; "\_muscle" for muscle sample | Categorical, text | | GenusSpecies | Genus and species abbreviation (see below) | Categorical, text | | DissectionBlankID | ID for associated dissection blank (procedural blank) | Categorical, text | | DigestionBlankID | ID for associated digestion blank (procedural blank) | Categorical, text | | FB\_black | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (black fiber bundle count) | Numerical, count | | FB\_blue | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (blue fiber bundle) | Numerical, count | | FB\_grey | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (grey fiber bundle) | Numerical, count | | FB\_multi | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (multicolored fiber bundle) | Numerical, count | | FB\_orange | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (orange fiber bundle) | Numerical, count | | FB\_pink | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (pink fiber bundle) | Numerical, count | | FB\_transparent | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (transparent fiber bundle) | Numerical, count | | FB\_yellowed | FB = Fiber bundle; \_color (yellowed fiber bundle) | Numerical, count | | FB\_total | Total Fiber Bundle count, regardless of color | Numerical, count | | FB\_cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-50; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Categorical, ordinal | | FS\_black | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (black single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_blue | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (blue single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_brown | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (brown single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_green | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (green single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_grey | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (grey single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_multi | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (orange single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_orange | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (multicolored single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_pink | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (pink single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_purple | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (purple single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_red | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (red single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_transparent | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (transparent single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_white | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (white single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_yellow | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (yellow single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_yellowed | FS = Single Fiber; \_color (yellowed single fiber count) | Numerical, count | | FS\_total | Total Single Fiber count, regardless of color | Numerical, count | | FS\_cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-5; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Categorical, ordinal | | FL\_blue | FL = Film; \_color (blue film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_brown | FL = Film; \_color (brown film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_green | FL = Film; \_color (green film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_multi | FL = Film; \_color (multicolored film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_purple | FL = Film; \_color (purple film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_red | FL = Film; \_color (red film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_transparent | FL = Film; \_color (transparent film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_white | FL = Film; \_color (white film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_yellowed | FL = Film; \_color (yellowed film count) | Numerical, count | | FL\_total | Total Film count, regardless of color | Numerical, count | | FL\_cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-5; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Categorical, ordinal | | FO\_blue | FO = Foam; \_color (blue foam count) | Numerical, count | | FO\_red | FO = Foam; \_color (red foam count) | Numerical, count | | FO\_transparent | FO = Foam; \_color (transparent foam count) | Numerical, count | | FO\_yellowed | FO = Foam; \_color (yellowed foam count) | Numerical, count | | FO\_total | Total Foam count, regardless of color | Numerical, count | | FO\_cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-5; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Categorical, ordinal | | FRNTWP\_black | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (black non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_blue | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (blue non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_brown | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (brown non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_grey | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (grey non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_multi | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (multicolored non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_orange | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (orange non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_pink | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (pink non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_purple | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (purple non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_red | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (red non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_transparent | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (transparent non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_white | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (white non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_yellow | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (yellow non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_yellowed | FRNTWP=Fragment, Non-Tire Wear Particle; \_color (yellowed non-TWP fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_total | Total Non-Tire Wear Particle Fragment count, regardless of color | Numerical, count | | FRNTWP\_cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-5; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Categorical, ordinal | | FRTWP\_black | FRTWP=Fragement, Tire Wear Particle; \_ color (black Tire Wear Particle fragment count) | Numerical, count | | FRTWP\_cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-5; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Categorical, ordinal | | MB\_multi | MB=Mixed Bundle; \_color (multicolored mixed bundle count) | Numerical, count | | MB\_transparent | MB=Mixed Bundle; \_color (transparent mixed bundle count) | Numerical, count | | MB\_yellowed | MB=Mixed Bundle; \_color (yellowed mixed bundle count) | Numerical, count | | MB\_total | Total Mixed Bundle count, regardless of color | Numerical, count | | MB\_cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-5; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Numerical, count | | Total | Total Suspected Microplastic Particle Count, regardless of type/shape/color | Numerical, count | | Total\_Cat | Categorized count where 0=0, 1=&lt;10, 2=10-5; 3=51-100; 4=101-300; 5=300+ | Categorical, ordinal | | Any | Binary Variable to indicate if there were any suspected particles detected (0=no; 1=yes) | Categorical, binary | 5\. Tab "GI mass" - mass (g) of gastrointestinal tissue collected from each fish ("Sample Mass"); "FISH_ID_GI" identifies an individual fish; "Sample Type" indicates gastrointestinal tissue ("Fish GI"); no missing values 6\. Tab "Muscle mass" - mass (g) of muscle tissue collected from each fish ("Sample Mass"); "FISH_ID_muscle" identifies an individual fish; "Sample Type" indicates muscle tissue ("Fish Muscle"); no missing values 7\. Tab "FISH Collection Location" - provides the geographic location ("Latitude" and "Longitude", in decimal degrees) of fish collection for each fish examined (indicated by "Fish_ID"); no missing values ### Genus-Species key | es | Genus | Species | Common Name | | :- | :----------- | :-------------- | :------------------------- | | Af | Ariopsis | felis | Hardhead Catfish | | Ap | Archosargus | probatocephalus | Sheepshead | | Bt | Brevoortia | tyrannus | Menhaden | | Cn | Cynoscion | nebulosus | Spotted Seatrout | | Es | Elops | saurus | Ladyfish | | Hj | Harengula | jaguana | Scaled Sardine | | Lr | Lagodon | rhomboides | Pinfish | | Lx | Leiostomus | xanthurus | Spotted Seatrout | | Ob | Opsanus | beta | Gulf Toadfish | | Oc | Orthopristis | chrysoptera | Pigfish | | Oo | Opisthonema | oglinum | Atlantic Threadfin Herring | ## Code/software Data file is uploaded as .xlsx file ## Access information Other publicly accessible locations of the data: (a subset of the data can be found here) * DOI link: [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fn2z34v1d](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fn2z34v1d)