Evolutionary Factor Analysis in Analytical Spectroscopy

Factor analysis (FA) is a computational tool for solving multidimensional problems which has found increasing importance in analytical spectroscopy.(1) Abstract factor analysis (AFA) reveals the number of spectroscopically visible components in a series of related mixtures containing the same components but in varying proportions.(1–3) Target factor analysis (TFA) verifies the presence or absence of suspected components.(1,4,5) Rank annihilation factor analysis (RAFA)(6,7) allows quantification of a particular component without recourse to any knowledge of the other components.