Dataset: Aerosol trace element concentrations from the French GEOTRACES GS02 SWINGS cruise aboard R/V Marion-Dufresne (MD229) from January to March 2021

Aerosol samples were collected according to protocols in the GEOTRACES cookbook using a Tisch TE-5170V-BL high-volume aerosol sampler modified to collect 12 replicate samples on 47-millimeter (mm) diameter Whatman-41 (W-41) filters. In order to minimize filter blanks, the W-41 filters were pre-cleaned inside a HEPA-filtered laminar flow hood using three cycles of leaching with 0.5M HCl (Optima) and then rinsing with ultra-high purity water (UHP water) according to trace element protocols. Sector control, which was accomplished via a Campbell Scientific data logger, was set such that the sampler would only operate during winds of >0.5 meters per second (m/s) and from ± 60° of the ship's bow to avoid sampling air influenced by the ship's exhaust.

Briefly, a W41 filter aerosol sample was digested and dried down three times in a 15-milliliter (mL) flat-bottom/round-interior Teflon jar (Savillex: 200-015-20 and 600-033-01); first with HNO3, next with HNO3 and HF, and finally with HNO3 only (all acids were Fisher Optima grade). All filter digestions were performed under a continuous flow of HEPA-filtered air within a Class-1000 clean room.