Application of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Water Environment Monitoring and Industry

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 6 July 2025 | Viewed by 4907

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Department of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
Interests: water treatment; environmental monitoring; machine leaning; water source management
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Dear Colleagues,

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has shown unparalleled superiority, bringing unprecedented development prospects to both society and industry, and improving AI technology is challenging. With the development of society, engineering systems have also faced many problems. For example, in processes involved in water engineering systems, economic dosing in water treatment systems has been challenging to address. At present, most of the dosing involves the use of manual empirical judgment dosing, whereas automatic dosing involves a machine that functions according to the judgment value. This method is not economic and produces more labor. The function of waterworks is to ensure the normal operation of the city's industry and residential life. In the process of water transport through pipelines, water leakage, changes in water quality, and other issues are inevitable. During the transport of ships at sea, oil leakage may cause environmental pollution problems. In the submarine environment, pipeline safety is also of great concern. Overall, water environments range from simple to complex. In order to safeguard the water environment system and derived systems from damage, attention must be focused on the challenge of determining how to use AI technology to monitor the status of any objects present in water environments. In response to the problems of oil leaks during ship transportation, oil and gas leaks from undersea pipelines, gas explosions in coal mines, the excessive dosage of industrial wastewater, the ineffective supervision of industrial wastewater discharges, and leaks from waterwork pipelines, academia and industry have been working for years to explore the potential of AI applications in industry. But whether these have great potential for industrial applications is a question that deserves in-depth consideration. In recent years, most countries (e.g., China) have been stepping up the pace of AI construction and have made outstanding achievements in smart water, industrial automation monitoring, and so on. We propose this topic primarily to collect information on the industrial applications of AI in water system engineering and related environmental systems, including groundwater engineering systems, surface water engineering systems, and seawater environmental engineering systems.

Prof. Dr. Guocheng Zhu
Prof. Dr. Andrew S. Hursthouse
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Monitoring of municipal water systems
  • Monitoring of municipal industrial wastewater systems
  • Monitoring of water pipeline systems
  • Monitoring of marine vessels
  • Monitoring of submarine pipelines
  • Monitoring of river systems
  • Monitoring of river transportation safety
  • Safety strategies of river water engineering systems
  • Monitoring of mining, groundwater, and soil water engineering systems

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 4876 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Artificial Intelligence-Based Industrial Wastewater Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation Treatment Optimization and Its Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits Using a Life Cycle Assessment–System Dynamics Model
by Juan Yu and Gaiyan Li
Processes 2025, 13(1), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13010059 - 30 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1576
Abstract
This study integrates life cycle assessment (LCA) and system dynamics (SD) modeling to evaluate the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) technology in industrial wastewater treatment. The research examines the environmental, economic, and social benefits of AI optimization, with a [...] Read more.
This study integrates life cycle assessment (LCA) and system dynamics (SD) modeling to evaluate the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) technology in industrial wastewater treatment. The research examines the environmental, economic, and social benefits of AI optimization, with a focus on its long-term implications for sustainable development. By constructing a detailed LCA model, the study analyzes the environmental impacts of wastewater treatment across its lifecycle, from raw material acquisition to final waste disposal. The integration of the SD model simulates dynamic feedback mechanisms, predicting the long-term effects of AI optimization on resource efficiency and environmental performance. Specifically, the AI system employs a convolutional neural network (CNN) to analyze real-time pollutant levels and a reinforcement learning algorithm to optimize operational parameters such as aeration rates, chemical dosing, and sludge retention time. This optimization achieves a 7.02% reduction in energy consumption, an 18% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, and a 15% reduction in total nitrogen concentrations in treated water. Economically, AI predictive maintenance reduces operating costs by 10% and extends equipment lifespan by 20%, while socially, it enhances the public perception of corporate social responsibility, particularly in regions with stringent environmental regulations. This study underscores the effectiveness of combining LCA and SD models to evaluate sustainable wastewater treatment technologies, providing scientific evidence for policymakers and industry stakeholders to use to promote green technologies and social responsibility. Full article
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Review

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26 pages, 4467 KiB  
Review
Application of Artificial Intelligence in the Management of Coagulation Treatment Engineering System
by Jingfeng Liu, Yizhou Long, Guocheng Zhu and Andrew S. Hursthouse
Processes 2024, 12(9), 1824; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091824 - 27 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2765
Abstract
In this paper, the application of artificial intelligence, especially neural networks, in the field of water treatment is comprehensively reviewed, with emphasis on water quality prediction and chemical dosage optimization. It begins with an overview of machine learning and deep learning concepts relevant [...] Read more.
In this paper, the application of artificial intelligence, especially neural networks, in the field of water treatment is comprehensively reviewed, with emphasis on water quality prediction and chemical dosage optimization. It begins with an overview of machine learning and deep learning concepts relevant to water treatment. Key advances and challenges in using neural networks for coagulation processes are thoroughly analyzed, including the automation of coagulant dosing, dosage level optimization, and efficiency comparisons of modeling approaches. Applications of neural networks in predicting pollutant levels and supporting water quality monitoring are explored. The review identifies avenues for improving coagulation-based modeling with neural networks, such as enhancing data quality, employing feature engineering, refining model selection criteria, and improving cross-validation methods. The necessity of continuous monitoring and adaptive optimization strategies is emphasized. Challenges such as the complexity of coagulation processes, feedback control signal acquisition, and model adaptability from simulations to real-world settings are discussed. Cost control and resource management in water treatment are also highlighted, emphasizing the optimized chemical dosage to reduce expenses while maintaining water quality compliance. In summary, this review provides valuable insights into the current state of neural network applications in water treatment and highlights key areas for further research and development. Integrating AI into coagulation processes has the potential to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of drinking water treatment. Full article
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