Application of chemometrics to analysis of soil pollutants

摘要

This overview focuses on the application of chemometrics techniques to the investigation of soils contaminated by polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals, because these two important and very diverse groups of pollutants are ubiquitous insoils. We highlight the salient features of studies carried out in the microenvironments and recreational environments of humans inthe context of the multivariate statistical techniques available across the boundaries of disciplines used in soil studies. We payparticular attention to techniques employed in the geosciences that may be effectively utilized for environmental soil studies. Wealso discuss classical multivariate approaches that may be used in isolation or as complementary methods to these. Chemometricstechniques widely applied in atmospheric studies for identifying sources of pollutants or for determining the importance ofcontributions of contaminant sources to a particular site have seen little use in soil studies, but they may be employed effectivelyin such investigations. Suitable programs are also available for suggesting measures of mitigation in cases of soil contamination,and we also consider these.