Abstract: Trace metal compositions of marine aerosol were modified significantly by the addition of anthropogenic and terrestrial materials during transport via the atmospheric circulation from land to the ocean. To explore the metal effect of atmospheric deposition on marine ecosystem, field observations of trace metals in marine aerosol are necessary. However, due to logistic difficulties, rare studies were carried out on islands in the open ocean. In this study, 60 total suspended particulates (TSP) samples were collected from March to May in 2010 at the Pengjia Islet to the north of Taiwan, China. Concentrations of trace metals (Al, Fe, Ti, Y, Mn, Ba, Sr, Co, Cr, V, Ni, Tl, Zn, Sn, Pb, As, Cd, Sb and Se) were analyzed by ICP-MS. Together with the concentration of Al, the air mass backward trajectories and the Lidar browse images by CALIPSO from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), were allowed to divide samples into non-dust TSP and dust TSP. Trace metals in dust TSP were higher in concentration than those in non-dust TSP, suggesting that dust was a good carrier to bring trace metals to the open ocean. Using the enrichment factor, correlation analysis and the model of positive matrix factorization, we found that Al, Fe, Ti and Y in non-dust TSP were mainly sourced from the crust, while Mn, Ba, Sr, Co and Cr originated from both the crust and anthropogenic sources. As for the dust TSP, Al, Fe, Ti, Y, Mn, Ba, Sr, Co and Cr were dominantly from the crust. Fossil fuel combustion contributed to V and Ni in non-dust TSP, but for the dust TSP, the crust involved. There were similar sources for Tl, Zn, As, Sn, Pb, Cd, Sb and Se both in non-dust TSP and dust TSP. Tl were dominantly sourced from the vehicle and coal combustion, and Zn, As, Sn, Pb, Cd and Sb originated from vehicle, coal and oil combustion, and Se was from the fossil fuel combustion. Trace metals, such as Tl, Zn, As, Sn, Pb, Cd, Sb and Se, associated with anthropogenic activities can be long-range transported to the open ocean.