Volatile organic compounds in the area of Madrid: a chemometrical approach.

Multivariate techniques have been applied to the set of data obtained after one year sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including volatile aldehydes in the area of Madrid in order to evaluate the possible correspondence among groups of analysed compounds, as far as modelling of different emission sources in relation to location and season. The measurements were carried out at four sites in Madrid, characteristic for urban and suburban areas. Additionally, as reference, a rural area 100 km far from the city was considered. Results of correlation analysis, factor and cluster analysis are presented. Higher correlations were found between variables related with traffic emissions. Factor analysis results showed two main significant variables related to anthropogenic and biogenic emissions respectively. In relation to cluster analysis, samples were grouped according to sampling site and seasonal variations.

Chemometric study of selected polychlorinated biphenyls in ambient air of Madrid (Spain).

Monthly ambient air and surface soil samples were taken for analysis in the outskirts of Madrid in an open urban area from November 1998 to October 1999. Thirty-one polychlorinated biphenyl congeners were analysed, selection being done according to their abundance in environmental samples. The present work shows the results obtained when factor analysis (FA) and cluster analysis were applied to concentration data of seventy-one ambient air samples (polyurethane foam plugs and filters). Both chemical parameters (concentrations and total suspended particulate) and two meteorological parameters (temperature and wind velocity) were determined weekly during the sampling period. A bivariate correlation analysis was previously performed to estimate relationships between PCBs and, also between soil and filter medium.