Geostatistical and spatially constrained multivariate analysis methods
(MULTISPATI-PCA) have been applied at the French scale to
differentiate the influence of natural background from the pollution
due to human activities on the content of 8 trace elements in the
topsoil. The results of MULTISPATI-PCA evidence strong spatial
structures attributed to different natural and artificial processes.
The first axis can be interpreted as an axis of global richness in TE.
Axis 2 reflects geochemical anomalies in Tl and Pb. Axis 3 exhibits on
one hand natural pedogeogenic anomalies and on the other hand, it
shows high values attributable to anthropogenic contamination.
Finally, axis 4 is driven by anthropogenic copper contamination.