Ingestion and retention of biodegradable vs. non-biodegradable microplastics in a tropical coral reef fish: The role of chemical and physical characteristics

This dataset contains experimental measurements from a study investigating the ingestion and retention of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics (MPs) in juvenile tropical reef fish, Acanthochromis polyacanthus. The study assessed how polymer type (polystyrene vs. polycaprolactone), particle shape (films vs. fragments), size (100–400 μm), and colour (transparent vs. blue) influence MP ingestion preferences and gastrointestinal transit time (GTT). Data include: Individual fish identifiers and characteristics (e.g., weight, size) Type, shape, size, and colour of MPs offered Quantity and type of MPs ingested per fish after 2 h exposure Gastrointestinal transit time and depuration rate of MPs over 72 h Observed ingestion patterns and depuration dynamics for each polymer type The dataset supports the findings reported in: “Ingestion and retention of biodegradable vs. non-biodegradable microplastics in a tropical coral reef fish: The role of chemical and physical characteristics”, Marine Pollution Bulletin, MPB 119346. These data provide detailed information for understanding how polymer-specific physical traits influence ingestion and retention in reef fish, offering a valuable resource for replication studies, meta-analyses, and further research on microplastic pollution and the evaluation of biodegradable plastics.