PCA AND PLS METHODS APPLIED TO ECOTOXICOLOGICAL DATA - ECOBALANCE PROJECT

Within a case study 'Ecobalance', the fate and effects of various chlo rinated and non-chlorinated organic compounds and some heavy metals di scharged from pulp and paper mills into water, sediment and aquatic an imals were studied in a recipient area of southern Lake Saimaa, SE Fin land. The main aim of the project was to find an empirical link betwee n chemical emission parameters and ecotoxicological effects expressed in the ecosystem. As part of the 'Ecobalance' project, principal compo nent analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) methods were used to interpret the data of the lake area. The PLS method was used to est imate the lake area affected by mill effluents and to calculate the fr action of wastewater in sampling sites. The study area is mainly affec ted by one pollution source. There is, however, also another pollution source, another pulp mill located near the research area. The effect of this source can be seen in the sites near the outer margin of the a rea. The effect of the major source effluents can be clearly seen in t he data of exposed animals and sediment samples. (C) 1996 by John Wile y & Sons, Ltd.