Rare earth element distribution patterns in Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario

[Display omitted] •Rare Earth Element concentration data for >70 sites in the Great Lakes.•Dissolved concentrations of REE decrease substantially nearshore-to-offshore.•Spatial heterogeneity in REE levels reflective of sourcing, in-lake cycling.•Significant (anthropogenic) Gd anomalies found in various locations. Rare earth elements (REE) are increasingly used in industrial applications, consumer electronics and green technologies, but their baseline concentrations and distribution patterns in the North American Great Lakes remain poorly understood. Here, we report dissolved REE concentrations in > 70 surface water samples from Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario (2021 and 2022) and assess their spatial distribution patterns and governing biogeochemical controls. Dissolved (20 % across the lakes) were notably higher than those of the other REE but varied significantly spatially, and also showed enrichment nearshore, particularly near urban centers and in Lake Ontario. This work provides new surveillance data to further develop our understanding of REE dynamics in the Great Lakes.