The Diversity of Geochemical and Ecotoxicological Indices of Alluvial Deposits Reflects the Pattern of Landforms: The Case of the Vistula River Valley in the Małopolski Gorge (Poland)

This study aimed to (1) determine the environmental risk resulting from the contamination of river valley sediments with trace elements of anthropogenic origin, (2) assess the relationship between this environmental risk and the geomorphology of the valley, and (3) identify areas that may become a source of contamination. This research was conducted in the Vistula River Valley between Sulejów and Kazimierz Dolny (Poland). Geochemical and ecotoxicological indices (for fraction < 1 mm) were analyzed (EF, Igeo, PI, CF, Cd, PISum, PIAvg, PINemerow, PLI, ER, RI). Geomorphological mapping, supported by DEM and remote sensing analysis, was performed. High concentrations of trace elements in sediments, as determined by the ICP-OES and ICP-MS methods throughout the study area, indicate generally high environmental degradation and a moderate-to-considerable ecological risk. Contamination differs in the sediments of individual landforms: the highest levels are found in the sediments of the contemporary floodplain and oxbow lakes, while the lowest are observed in the Pleistocene terrace sediments. Only high concentrations of As, Pb, Zn, and Cd are of anthropogenic origin. Their source is probably the mining area of Upper Silesia (As, Pb, Zn) and agricultural activity (Cd). The differences in the values of geochemical indices in individual landforms confirm the influence of fluvial processes on the distribution of trace elements.