Heavy rainfall shunts heavy metal transport from runoff to dominant sediment pathways in sludge-amended forest soils

Key Points

• Heavy rainfall increases transport of heavy metals via runoff to dominant sediment pathways in soils.
• Analysis during rain events shows a distinct shift in heavy metal distribution based on 30 rainfall instances.
• Observational analysis focused on sludge-amended forest soils comparing sediment pathways and metal concentrations.
• Findings suggest that heavy rainfall events may elevate heavy metal bioavailability in soil systems, requiring further investigation.