Marine Microplastics

Marine microdebris is comprised of anthropogenic solid waste, specially microplastics, smaller than 5mm in length, indivertibly or intentionally disposed in marine environments. Their ubiquitous presence and levels are predicted to increase. The IMOS Marine Microplastics Facility has been established to assess temporal and spatial variations of this contamination to better inform environmental management and policy.

Access data

Data collection

IMOS will collect microplastics samples at selected sites across the National Mooring Network. This dataset will aid in identifying environmental factors that potentially influence the distribution of contamination and enables environmental management at local and national scales to determining potential sources, fate, and impacts of microplastics in Australian marine waters.

Key data streams

Microplastics

Useful information

Essential Ocean Variables / Essential Climate Variables

This sub-Facility contributes to 1 Essential Ocean Variables and 0 Essential Climate Variables.

EOV: Marine debris (pilot)

Contact

Cherie Motti
E: microplastic(at)aims.gov.au

Operating institution

Australian Institute of Marine Science

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Acknowledging IMOS

Users of IMOS data are required to clearly acknowledge the source material by including the following statement:
Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). It is operated by a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture, with the University of Tasmania as Lead Agent.