Fingerprinting Techniques As Aids In the Analysis of Composite Chemical Pollutants In the Environment

Abstract

For identification, correlation and source recognition of a variety of composite environmental pollutants, including many kinds of effluents and emissions, chemical fingerprinting techniques are extremely well-suited. Chromatographic techniques are especially strong tools for this kind of activity. In a series of examples, applications of these techniques are given to show their potential for recognition and characterization of water, soil and air pollutants. It will be seen that application of such techniques need not be restricted to oil pollutant analysis in water as is often assumed.