In situ dataset of particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in coastal and open ocean waters

We present a global in situ dataset of oceanic particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations (POC, PON, and POP, respectively), compiled from multiple sources to provide one of the most comprehensive collections of marine particulate organic matter (POM) to date. The database includes 155776 measurements from 25965 independent stations. Observations span more than three decades (1988-2025) and cover the global ocean from the surface to 6009 m depth. It comprises 70820 POC samples, 69490 PON samples, and 15466 POP samples. Data include concentrations derived from different analytical methods, associated quality control flags (see Table 1), and derived molar ratios. For each sampling station, the dataset includes the sampling date (yyyymmdd format), UTC time (hour, minute), latitude, longitude, depth (m), cruise or program identifier, and the concentrations of POC, PON, and POP (mg m-3). In addition, the following methodological information is provided for each POC, PON, and POP measurement when available: (i) the sampling method, (ii) the type of filter, (iii) whether particulate carbon samples were acidified prior to analysis, (iv) whether DOC correction was applied, and (v) the analytical method or instrument used for quantification. Missing values are indicated as NaN.