Argumentation-based framework for industrial wastewater discharges management

The daily operation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in unitary sewer systems of industrialized areas is of special concern. Severe problems can occur due to the characteristics of incoming flow. In order to avoid decision that leads to hazardous situations, guidelines and regulations exist. However, there are still no golden standards by which to a priori decide whether a WWTP can cope with critical discharges. Strict adherence to regulations may not always be convenient, since special circumstances may motivate operators to accept discharges that are above established thresholds or to reject discharges that comply with guidelines. Nonetheless, such decisions must be well justified. This paper proposes an argumentation-based model by which to formulate a flexible decision-making process. An example of the model application describes how experts deliberate the safety of a discharge and adapt each decision to the particular characteristics of the industrial discharge and the WWTP.

[1]  A. Rivas,et al.  Selection of operational strategies in activated sludge processes based on optimization algorithms , 1998 .

[2]  Ulises Cortés,et al.  An Argument-Based Approach to Deal with Wastewater Discharges , 2007, CCIA.

[3]  B. Erol Nalbur,et al.  Influence of the activated sludge system configuration on heavy metal toxicity reduction , 2008 .

[4]  M Poch,et al.  A knowledge-based approach to the deflocculation problem: integrating on-line, off-line, and heuristic information. , 2003, Water research.

[5]  Manfred Schütze,et al.  Integrating simulation models with a view to optimal control of urban wastewater systems , 2005, Environ. Model. Softw..

[6]  Trevor J. M. Bench-Capon,et al.  Argumentation in artificial intelligence , 2007, Artif. Intell..

[7]  Dimitris Papadias,et al.  Computer supported argumentation and collaborative decision making: the HERMES system , 2001, Inf. Syst..

[8]  Ulf Jeppsson,et al.  Risk assessment modelling of microbiology-related solids separation problems in activated sludge systems , 2008, Environ. Model. Softw..

[9]  Peter Norvig,et al.  Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach , 1995 .

[10]  A Tilche,et al.  Appropriate basis of effluent standards for industrial wastewaters. , 2002, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[11]  Ulises Cortés,et al.  Argumentation-Based Agents to Increase Human Organ Availability for Transplant , 2007 .

[12]  Peter A. Vanrolleghem,et al.  Modelling and real-time control of the integrated urban wastewater system , 2005, Environ. Model. Softw..

[13]  Ângela Guimarães Pereira,et al.  From Technocratic to Participatory Decision Support Systems: Responding to the New Governance Initiatives , 2002 .

[14]  Miquel Sànchez-Marrè,et al.  A conceptual model to facilitate knowledge sharing for bulking solving in wastewater treatment plants , 2003, AI Commun..

[15]  Miquel Sànchez-Marrè,et al.  Designing and building real environmental decision support systems , 2004, Environ. Model. Softw..

[16]  Ulises Cortés,et al.  DEPUR: A knowledge-based tool for wastewater treatment plants , 1994 .

[17]  John Fox,et al.  Towards a canonical framework for designing agents to support healthcare organisations , 2006 .

[18]  H. D. Stensel,et al.  Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse , 2002 .

[19]  Montserrat Aulinas Masó.  Management of industrial wastewater discharges in river basins through agents'argumentation , 2009 .

[20]  Iyad Rahwan,et al.  Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems: Context and Recent Developments , 2006, ArgMAS.

[21]  Douglas Walton,et al.  Justification of Argumentation Schemes , 2005 .

[22]  Ulises Cortés,et al.  ISCWAP : A knowledge-based system for supervising activated sludge processes , 1997 .

[23]  Ulises Cortés,et al.  Inferring acceptable arguments with answer set programming , 2005, Sixth Mexican International Conference on Computer Science (ENC'05).

[24]  Manel Poch,et al.  Advanced Agent-Based Environmental Management Systems , 2008 .

[25]  Claudio Ulises Cortés García,et al.  ProCLAIM: An argument-based model for monitoring decisions and revising guidelines knowledge in safety-critical environments , 2006 .

[26]  J Colprim,et al.  A hybrid supervisory system to support WWTP operation: implementation and validation. , 2002, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[27]  Mogens Henze,et al.  Rising sludge in secondary settlers due to denitrification , 1993 .

[28]  Trevor J. M. Bench-Capon,et al.  A Dialogue Game Protocol for Multi-Agent Argument over Proposals for Action , 2004, Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems.

[29]  M. Zessner,et al.  Discussion of an environment quality standard based assessment procedure for permitting discharge. , 2006, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[30]  Ulises Cortés,et al.  Agents Deliberating over Action Proposals Using the ProCLAIM Model , 2007, CEEMAS.

[31]  P. Samaras,et al.  Effect of hexavalent chromium on the activated sludge process and on the sludge protozoan community. , 2009, Bioresource technology.

[32]  Iyad Rahwan,et al.  Argumentation in Multi-Agent Systems, First International Workshop, ArgMAS 2004, New York, NY, USA, July 19, 2004, Revised Selected and Invited Papers , 2005, ArgMAS.

[33]  Michael Wooldridge,et al.  Introduction to multiagent systems , 2001 .

[34]  Manel Poch,et al.  Scenario analysis for the role of sanitation infrastructures in integrated urban wastewater management , 2009, Environ. Model. Softw..

[35]  Cristina Urdiales,et al.  Agent Technology and e-Health (Whitestein Series in Software Agent Technologies and Autonomic Computing) , 2008 .

[36]  D. Walton.  Argumentation Schemes for Presumptive Reasoning , 1995 .