Data on the microplastics contamination in water and sediments along the Haraz River estuary, Iran

Nasim Naeeji; Mohammad Rafeei; Hamed Azizi; Marjan Hashemi; Akbar Eslami

doi:10.1016/j.dib.2020.106155

Data on the microplastics contamination in water and sediments along the Haraz River estuary, Iran

Data Brief. 2020 Aug 7:32:106155. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106155. eCollection 2020 Oct.

Authors

Nasim Naeeji¹, Mohammad Rafeei¹, Hamed Azizi², Marjan Hashemi³, Akbar Eslami³

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Plastic Department, Processing Faculty, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran.
³ Environmental and occupational Hazards Control Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The type and extent of microplastic contamination in water and sediment of Haraz River were evaluated. Water and sediment samples were collected using a planktonic trawl with a mesh size of 300 µ and a Van Veen grab, from February to May 2017. The morphology and elemental compounds of microplastic particles were analysed using SEM/EDX. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was done for polymers identification; so that the data could be used for comparative analyses. The number of pieces per kg dry weight in sediments and per cubic meter sampled water was determined. Last but not least, plastic types were also distinguished.

Keywords: DSC; Estuary; Haraz river; Microplastic; Sediments.