Application of chemometrics in river water classification

Abstract

The main aim of this work is focused on water quality classification of the Brda river (Poland) and evaluation of pollution data obtained by the monitoring measurement during the period 1994-2002. The study presents the application of selected chemometric techniques to the pollution monitoring dataset, namely, cluster analysis, principal component analysis, discriminant analysis and factor analysis. The obtained results allowed to determine natural clusters and groups of monitoring locations with similar pollution character and identify important discriminant variables. Chemometric analysis confirmed the classification of water purity of the Brda river made by the Inspection of Environmental Protection but the results showed more differentiation between monitored locations. This enables better evaluation of the water quality in a monitored region. On the basis of the chemometric approach, it was also found that some locations were under the high influence of municipal contamination, and some others under the influence of agriculture (discharges from fields) within the observed time period.