Application of the self-organizing map as a prediction tool for an integrated constructed wetland agroecosystem treating agricultural runoff

Zhang, L; Scholz, M; Mustafa, A; Harrington, R

Abstract

A self-organizing map (SOM) model was applied as a prediction tool for the performance of an integrated
constructed wetland (ICW) agroecosystem treating agricultural runoff to protect receiving watercourses.
By utilizing the SOM model, the time-consuming to measure expensive biochemical oxygen demand outflow
concentrations were predicted well by other inexpensive variables, which were quicker and easier to
measure. Correct predictions for the outflow biochemical oxygen demand concentrations were between
89% and 100%. This novel approach allows for the real time control of the outflow water quality of the
ICW and potentially also of other treatment system applications. Moreover, the missing values and outliers
from the large but incomplete ICW data set were replaced accurately by most likely values determined
by the SOM model. This was important because the proportions of unusable entries for
chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids and biochemical oxygen demand were very high: 41%, 54%
and 61%, respectively.

Citation

Zhang, L., Scholz, M., Mustafa, A., & Harrington, R. (2009). Application of the self-organizing map as a prediction tool for an integrated constructed wetland agroecosystem treating agricultural runoff. Bioresource Technology, 100(2), 559-565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.06.042

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2009
• Deposit Date: Feb 17, 2012
• Journal: Bioresource Technology
• Print ISSN: 0960-8524
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 100
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 559-565
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.06.042
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2008.06.042