Enhancing effluent quality prediction in wastewater treatment plants through the integration of factor analysis and machine learning.

Jiaqiang Lv, Lili Du, Hongyong Lin, Baogui Wang, Wanxin Yin, Yunpeng Song, Jiaji Chen, Jixian Yang, Aijie Wang, Hongcheng Wang

Bioresource technology 2024 Feb

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Precisely predicting the concentration of nitrogen-based pollutants from the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remains a challenging yet crucial task for optimizing operational adjustments in WWTPs. In this study, an integrated approach using factor analysis (FA) and machine learning (ML) models was employed to accurately predict effluent total nitrogen (Ntoteff) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3-Neff) concentrations of the WWTP. The input values for the ML models were honed through FA to optimize factors, thereby significantly enhancing the ML prediction accuracy. The prediction model achieved a highest coefficient of determination (R2) of 97.43 % (Ntoteff) and 99.38 % (NO3-Neff), demonstrating satisfactory generalization ability for predictions up to three days ahead (R2 >80 %). Moreover, the interpretability analysis identified that the denitrification factor, the pollutant load factor, and the meteorological factor were significant. The model framework proposed in this study provides a valuable reference for optimizing the operation and management of wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Jiaqiang Lv, Lili Du, Hongyong Lin, Baogui Wang, Wanxin Yin, Yunpeng Song, Jiaji Chen, Jixian Yang, Aijie Wang, Hongcheng Wang. Enhancing effluent quality prediction in wastewater treatment plants through the integration of factor analysis and machine learning. Bioresource technology. 2024 Feb;393:130008