Influence of Monsoon Flood on Spatial Distribution of Trace Metals in Surface Sediments of Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu, India

The current study investigated the distribution and health risk assessment of heavy metals present in the sediment samples Cauvery River. During the monsoon season, the sediment samples were collected at 13 sampling sites along the Cauvery River. The findings of the present study revealed elevated concentrations of metals, including Cr, Zn, Cu, Co, Pb, As, Cd, and Hg. A robust statistical relationship was identified among the sampling locations of all the elements under analysis (P < 0.05). Moreover, investigations into the pollution load index and geo-accumulation index revealed that the distribution of heavy metals during the monsoon flood had moderate to higher effects. However, it can be observed from the average values of PER (720) and PLI (> 1) that the sediments of the Cauvery River possess a considerably high level of toxicity. Based on the results, the sediment samples from the Cauvery River basin exhibited significant levels of Cd and Hg, whereas other metals were comparatively less severe.