Chemometric studies of some trace elements in cows' milk

The matrix of the correlation between the concentrations of 11 trace elements determined in 45 samples of cows' milk was used as a starting matrix for principal component analysis. The space dimension was reduced from 11 variables to 5 principal components, accounting for about 80% of the total variance. After an orthogonal rotation, the first factor (F1) was found to be positively correlated with Cr, Mn, and Fe, F2 positively correlated with Ni and negatively with Cu, F3 positively with Cd and Pb, F4 positively with Zn, Sr, and Mo and F5 positively correlated with A1 and Sr. Element clusters appear to be determined by their origin. Some clusters are confirmed by principal factor analysis. A plot of the principal component scores was also applied to the differentiation of Italian Milk from different geographical origins.