USE OF FACTOR-ANALYSIS TO DIFFERENTIATE POLLUTANTS FROM OTHER TRACE-METALS IN SURFACE SOILS OF THE MINERALIZED AREA OF MADISON COUNTY, MISSOURI, USA

This paper investigates the concentrations of twelve elements in surface soil samples from Missouri, U. S. A. Factor analysis was used to group the elements according to origin. Factor analysis has divided the data into three groups which are consistent with anthropogenic or pedogenic processes in the study area. The first factor contains elements which have contaminated the soil as a consequence of industrial processes. The second factor contains elements which accumulate in weathering residues. The third factor comprises elements which, except for Mn, can be related to local rock type. It is concluded that factor analysis offers a rapid means of appraising multi-element data from large sample numbers in soil pollution studies and hence grouping these elements according to origin.