Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers, crenarchaeol and geochemical parameters in soils, SPM and riverbed sediments in the Godavari River basin (India)

The concentration and fractional abundance of branched Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers (brGDGTs), including 5-methyl and 6-methyl isomers, were investigated in the soils, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and riverbed sediments of the Godavari River basin, the largest non-Himalayan river in India and fed by the Southwest monsoon. Surface soils (0-10 cm) were collected near the Godavari River, and SPM and riverbed sediments were collected in a dry (February/March) and wet season (July/August) in 2015. Crenarchaeol was measured, as well as pH, TOC, and soil and sediment geochemistry.