PROCEEDINGS Open Access SEM-EDS investigation on PM10 data collected in Central Italy: Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis

Background: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were applied on PM10 particle data in order to: identify particle clusters that can be differentiated on the bases of their chemical composition and morphology, investigate the relationship among the chemical and morphological parameters and evaluate differences among the sampling sites. PM10 was collected in 3 different sites in central Italy characterize