GSD-D-26-00638MP

Description

This dataset supports the study “Seasonal patterns of microplastic transfer, sediment retention and groundwater-associated fiber enrichment in an Upper Ganga River–canal corridor.” It contains microplastic abundance and characterisation data for surface water, sediment and groundwater-associated samples from seven sampling stations (L1–L7), covering summer, winter and monsoon campaigns. The dataset comprises 17 tables containing replicate-level abundance measurements, corresponding means and standard deviations, polymer composition, particle size, shape and colour distributions, and seasonal contributions of dark-coloured particles. Microplastic abundance is expressed as particles L⁻¹ for surface-water and groundwater-associated samples and particles kg⁻¹ dry weight for sediment. Polymer composition is reported by matrix and campaign for spectroscopically confirmed particles, using a spectral-library match threshold of at least 75% together with manual verification of diagnostic bands. Derived assessment tables include contamination factors calculated using matrix-specific internal reference concentrations, polymer-specific contributions to the Polymer Hazard Index (PHI), and station- and season-specific Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) values and classifications. Statistical summaries include one-way ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis tests, alongside principal component analysis variance explained, group scores and qualitative loading patterns. The data support comparisons of seasonal and spatial microplastic abundance, particle characteristics across environmental matrices, sediment-associated retention patterns and groundwater-associated fibre enrichment. The accompanying table notes document measurement units, calculation equations, reference concentrations, polymer hazard scores and risk classification thresholds. The dataset is provided as an OpenDocument Text (.odt) file.

Institutions

• Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

  Uttarakhand, Roorkee

Categories

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