This large set of sediment samples was collected in different oceanic areas between 1987 and 2015 from shelf seas to the deep ocean. The samples were compiled from previous studies and consist of surface sediments and sediment cores. Data are used for statistical analyses in order to better understand particle dynamics and early diagenetic processes in sediments and furthermore to test and refine amino acid (AA) and hexosamine (HA) based biogeochemical indicators. Samples were analysed for total nitrogen (N) using a Carlo Erba nitrogen analyser 1500. Total organic carbon (TOC) was measured with the same instrument after treatment of weighed samples with 1N HCl to remove carbonate. Stable nitrogen isotopes of total particulate nitrogen (δ15N-TPN) were analysed with the mass spectrometer Thermo Finnigan MAT 252. AA and HA contents and their individual monomers were analysed by liquid chromatography using a Biochrom 30 amino acid analyzer. Contents of AA and HA are presented in nmol/g and µg/g. AAC, AAN, HAC, HAN are presented in µg/g and as percentages of TOC (AAC/C, HAC/C) or TN (AAN/N, HAN/N). AA and HA monomers are presented in Mol% and comprise aspartic acid (ASP), glutamic acid (Glu), threonine (Thr), serine (Ser), glycine (Gly), alanine (Ala), valine (Val), methionine (Met), isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), tyrosine (Tyr), phenylalanine (Phe), β-Alanine (β-Ala), γ-aminobutyric acid (γ-Aba), histidine (His), ornithine (Orn), lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg), glucosamine (Gluam) and galactosamine (Galam). Cysteic acid (CYA), taurine (TAU), methionine sulfoximine (MSO) and tryptophane (TRP) were determined only in the more recent samples. Data gaps indicate that measurements were not carried out or that they were not stored in the older data sets. The RI was calculated according to Jennerjahn and Ittekkot (1997; https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00093/20403/) and the DI after Dauwe et al. (1999; doi:10.4319/lo.1999.44.7.1809). Definitions of biogeochemical indicators SDI, RTI, ox/anox and a detailed description of the methods can be found in Gaye et al. (2022).