A study of the spatial distribution of the total suspended matter and of its elemental composition (C, N and trace metals) has been performed in the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Southern Eight of the North Sea in June and October 1991. South-west to north-east gradients of suspended matter mass and of lithogenic components (Ti and Al) linked to riverine inputs and to depth shallowing, are observed; organic carbon and nitrogen display an opposite distribution pattern and reach a maximum in the Biscay oceanic waters. Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations are highest near industrialized areas and large estuaries, showing the importance of river inputs. In contrast, Cd, Cu and Cr concentrations are markedly elevated in organic-rich suspended matter from waters in which suspended matter loadings are low, suggesting a significant biological uptake. Finally, C-13/C-12 analyses the relative importance of coastal or continental inputs in the north-eastern Channel and in the North Sea.