Automated machine learning-based models for predicting and evaluating antibiotic removal in constructed wetlands

Machine learning models can improve antibiotic removal performance in constructed wetlands (CWs) by optimizing the operation process. However, robust modeling approaches for revealing the complex biochemical treatment process of antibiotics in CWs are still lacking. In this study, two automated machine learning (AutoML) models achieved good performance with different sizes of the training dataset (mean absolute error = 9.94–13.68, coefficient of determination = 0.780–0.877), demonstrating the ability to predict antibiotic removal performance without human intervention. Explainable analysis results (the variable importance and Shapley additive explanations) revealed that the variable substrate type was more influential than the variables of influent wastewater quality and plant type. This study proposed a potential approach to comprehensively understanding the complex effects of key operational variables on antibiotic removal, which serve as a reference for optimizing operational adjustments in the CW process.