Water Quality and Metal Enrichment in Bed Sediments of the Rivers Kali and Hindon, India

Water-quality parameters and concentrations of various metals in bed sediments of the River Kali and the River Hindon in India were analysed to understand their behaviour in subtropical fluvial systems. Variations in the physico-chemical parameters of the river water and metal content in the bed sediments were recorded in four seasons of the year (post-monsoon, winter, summer and monsoon). Results show that water and sediments contain high cadmium (Cd) and Zinc (Zn). Total and soluble Cd and Zn profiles show that in summer, metals in the water phase exist predominantly in the bound form. Cd and Zn in bed sediments increase from the post-monsoon to the summer season. During and after the monsoon season, metal concentrations in sediments fall rapidly. Correlation coefficients of metals in sediments represent their common source and identical behaviour during transport.