Source apportionment and probabilistic risks of potentially hazardous metals in a typical agricultural river basin, Thailand: Implications for sustainable sediment remediation

Key Points

• Probabilistic risk assessment indicates significant exposure to hazardous metals in sediments, impacting health and agriculture.
• The analysis found lead and cadmium were the most prevalent metals, showing levels exceeding safety limits in some areas.
• Source apportionment involved analyzing sediment samples from the river basin to trace contamination origins and extent.
• These findings highlight the urgent need for sustainable sediment remediation approaches to safeguard environmental and public health.