Alkane and PAH biomarkers as tracers of terrigenous organic carbon in Arctic Ocean sediments

► Terrigenous organic flux to basin sediment responds to glacial-interglacial sea level. ► Lena River basin coals main source for petrogenic hydrocarbons in central Arctic Ocean. ► Anthropogenic PAHs absent from basins due to weak particle transport and degradation. ► High MW PAHs provide best tracers of combustion and petroleum in basin sediments. ► PCA and PLS provide robust source apportionment for Arctic Ocean sediments.