Investigating the source of some heavy metals using cluster and factor analysis techniques in soils of Hormoz Island

Hormoz Island is a tourism resource with natural features and virgin landscapes which were exposed to damages caused by human activities. In this study, 58 surface samples were collected from the study area and total concentration of Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd and Ni were measured by using four acid digestion procedure and inductively coupled plasma instrument (ICP-OES). Cluster analysis and factor analysis were applied to identify the possible sources of the heavy metals in soils of Hormoz Island and for determination of pollution area, geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and enrichment factor (CF) were used. Fe element was identified as the most polluted element based on the values of Igeo, and CF showed the high enrichment level of this element. The obtained results from the factor analysis showed that there are a positive and strong relation between elemental group of “Fe, Ni and Pb” and elemental group of “Zn and Cd”. Therefore, these two elemental groups have the different origin and because of the absence of industrial pollution in the study area, this difference is probably due to different geological structure. Also, based on cluster analysis, elements of Zn and Cd were categorized in one group and Fe, Ni and Pb elements in another group. These findings confirm the results of the factor analysis and represent the same origin and the same geochemical behavior of elements in each group.