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Author: search.filters.author.Goonetilleke, AshanthaSubject: search.filters.subject.Principal component analysis (PCA)

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    Modelling pollutant washoff from south-east queensland catchments Australia
    (International Water Association (IWA), 2003) Goonetilleke, Ashantha
    Onsite wastewater treatment systems aim to assimilate domestic effluent into the environment. Unfortunately failure of such systems is common and inadequate effluent treatment can have serious environmental implications. The capacity of a particular soil to treat wastewater will change over time. The physical properties influence the rate of effluent movement through the soil and its chemical properties dictate the ability to renovate effluent. A research project was undertaken to determine the role that physical and chemical soil properties play in predicting the long-term behaviour of soil under effluent irrigation and to determine if they have a potential function as early indicators of adverse effects of effluent irrigation on treatment sustainability. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis grouped the soils independently of their soil classifications and allowed us to distinguish the most suitable soils for sustainable long term effluent irrigation and determine the most influential soil parameters to characterise them. Multivariate analysis allowed a clear distinction between soils based on the cation exchange capacities. This in turn correlated well with the soil mineralogy. Mixed mineralogy soils in particular sodium or magnesium dominant soils are the most susceptible to dispersion under effluent irrigation. The soil Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP) was identified as a crucial parameter and was highly correlated with percentage clay, electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium, exchangeable magnesium and low Ca:Mg ratios (less than 0.5).
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    Framework for soil suitability evaluation for sewage effluent renovation
    (Springer, 2004-04) Goonetilleke, Ashantha
    Current methods of establishing suitable locations for onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are inadequate, particularly in light of the numerous cases of onsite system failure and the resulting adverse consequences. The development of a soil suitability framework for assessing soil suitability for OWTS allows a more practical means of assessment. The use of multivariate statistical analysis techniques, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multi-criteria decision aids of PROMETHEE and GAIA, enabled the identification of suitable soils for effluent renovation. The outcome of the multivariate analysis, together with soil permeability and drainage characteristics permitted the establishment of a framework for assessing soil suitability based on three main soil functions: (1) the ability of the soil to provide suitable effluent renovation, (2) the permeability of the soil, and (3) the soil’s drainage characteristics. The developed framework was subsequently applied to the research area, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, and the use of standard scoring functions were utilised to provide a scoring system to signify which soils were more suitable for effluent renovation processes. From the assessment, it was found that Chromosol and Kurosol soils provided the highest level of effluent renovation, closely followed by Ferrosol and Dermosol, Kandosol and Rudosol soil types. Tennosol and Podosol soil types were found to have a significantly lower suitability, with Hydrosol soils proving the least suitable for renovating effluent from OWTS.