Hyperspectral reflectance dataset of pristine, weathered, and biofouledplastics

This work presents a hyperspectral reflectance dataset of macroplastic samples acquired using Ana-lytical Spectral Devices (ASD) FieldSpec 4. Samples analyzed consisted of pristine, artificially weathered, and biofouled plastic items and plastic debris samples collected in the docks of the Port of Antwerp and in the river Scheldt near Temse Bridge (Belgium). The hyperspectral signal of each sample was measured in controlled dry conditions in an optical calibration facility at the Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO; Flemish Institute for Technological Research) and, for a subset of plastics, under wet and submerged condi-tions in a silo tank at Flanders Hydraulics. The wet and submerged hyperspectral signals were measured in a mesocosm setting that mimicked environmentally relevant concentrations of freshwater microalgae and sus-pended sediment. The ASD was equipped with an 8 degrees field of view at the calibration facility, and a 1 degrees field of view was used in the mesocosm setting. The dataset obtained complies with the FAIR (Findable, Acces-sible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles and is available in the open-access repository Marine Data Archive (https://doi.org/10.14284/530, Leone et al., 2021).