DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16792388
title: Data and Code for the publication "Vertical distribution and post-depositional translocation of microplastics in a Rhine floodplain soil"

description: Background

The dataset contains data on soil properties, Optical luminescenes dating (OSL) and microplastic abundance in soil samples taken from a soil profile (1 m depth) in the floodplain Langel-Merkenich (Cologne, Germany). They were analysed in the paper by P. Seidel, M. Rolf, A. Holzinger, M. Gröbner, S. Riedesel, H. Laermanns, H. Feldhaar, C. Laforsch, M.G.J. Löder and C. Bogner, "Vertical distribution and post-depositional translocation of microplastics in a Rhine floodplain soil", https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-025-00142-9) published in Microplastics and Nanoplastics. 
description: Data set: AGE_ML3P.txt

The dataset contains the raw data from the OSL dating the sample names in the data set are referring to the following soil depths:

ML3P-1: 0-27.5 cmML3P-2: 27.5-38 cmML3P-3: 38-52 cmML3P-6: 73-85 cmML3P-7: 85-105 cm
description: Data set: Data.xlsx

The dataset contains in the sheet ParticlesTotal_V: the total microplastic abundance in the respective depths of the soil profile. 



in the sheet Forms_V: the microplastic abundance categorized in the three found shapes: fragments, fibres and spheres, in the respective depths.

in the sheet Sizes_V: the microplastic abundance categorized in the respective size classes (> 10 - 20 µm, > 20 - 50 µm, > 50 - 100 µm, > 100 - 150 µm, > 150 - 300 µm, > 300 - 500 µm, > 500 - 1000 µm, > 1000 - 5000 µm) in the respective depths of the soil profile.

in the sheet Polymertype_V: the microplastic abundances categorized to their respective polymer type per soil depth.

in the sheet GrainSizes_V: it contains the data about the grainsizes of the fluvisol from the respective soil depths. 

in the sheet CN_V: contains the total organic carbon content (TOC) throughout the soil profile.

in the sheet  BulkDensity_V: there are the data about the bulk density of the fluvisol from each soil depth.

in the sheet Porosity_V:  contains the soils' porosity throughout the profile
description: Code: Diagrams_V.R

contains the R-code to create the graphs that are included in the publication "Vertical distribution and post-depositional translocation of microplastics in a Rhine floodplain soil".
description: Data: Blanks_Overview_withoutPixel_eng.xlsx

contains the data from the blank samples (laboratory and field blanks). On the left side, that are the found microplastics in an aliquot of the blank samples. After the first grey bar, they are multiplied by the respective aliquot factor (8x or 64x). After the second grey bar, there are the calculation of the mean of laboratory and field blanks. For further information, we are kindly referring to the publication "Vertical distribution and post-depositional translocation of microplastics in a Rhine floodplain soil".
description: Workflow of microplastic data: newRatdata_V_withoutParticlesOver5mm_eng.xlsx

contains the workflow of microplastic data starting from the analysis of small microplastics (<500 µm) and secondly how they got combined and substracted with the results from the blank samples. Thirdly, the dataset of the small microplastics and bigger microplastics (>500-5000 µm) were combined. Finally, in the last table, the results of small and big microplastics together were calculated to one kg dry soil.