Rapid Determination of Low Heavy Metal Concentrations in Grassland Soils around Mining Using Vis–NIR Spectroscopy: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia, China

Proximal sensing offers a novel means for determination of the heavy metal concentration in soil, facilitating low cost and rapid analysis over large areas. In this respect, spectral data and model variables play an important role. Thus far, no attempts have been made to estimate soil heavy metal content using continuum-removal (CR), different preprocessing and statistical methods, and different modeling variables. Considering the adsorption and retention of heavy metals in spectrally active constituents in soil, this study proposes a method for determining low heavy metal concentrations in soil using spectral bands associated with soil organic matter (SOM) and visible–near-infrared (Vis–NIR). To rapidly determine the concentration of heavy metals using hyperspectral data, partial least squares regression (PLSR), principal component regression (PCR), and support vector machine regression (SVMR) statistical methods and 16 preprocessing combinations were developed and explored to determine an optimal combination. The results showed that the multiplicative scatter correction and standard normal variate preprocessing methods evaluated with the second derivative spectral transformation method could accurately determine soil Cr and Ni concentrations. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) values of Vis–NIR model combinations with PLSR, PCR, and SVMR were 0.34, 3.42, and 2.15 for Cr, and 0.07, 1.78, and 1.14 for Ni, respectively. Soil Cr and Ni showed strong spectral responses to the Vis–NIR spectral band. The R(2) value of the Vis–NIR-based PLSR model was higher than 0.99, and the RMSE value was 0.07–0.34, suggesting higher stability and accuracy. The results were more accurate for Ni than Cr, and PLSR showed the best performance, followed by SVMR and PCR. This perspective has critical implications for guiding quantitative biogeochemical analysis using proximal sensing data.