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Bibliometric Analysis of Microplastic Pollution Monitoring in Water Bodies
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This study doesn't test microplastics directly — instead, it maps out how scientists worldwide have been researching microplastic pollution in lakes, rivers, and oceans, showing that most work focuses on tracking where microplastics show up and how they affect wildlife that ingests them. The takeaway is that research groups (mostly in China, the US, and India) are still fairly siloed, and the field is now shifting toward better, more standardized ways to measure risk — which matters because reliable methods are the first step toward understanding how much microplastic exposure actually threatens human health through our food and water.
This study presents a bibliometric analysis of research on microplastic pollution monitoring in water bodies to identify intellectual structure, collaboration patterns, and thematic evolution within the field. Data were retrieved from a scientific database and analyzed using bibliometric mapping techniques with VOSviewer, focusing on co-authorship, co-occurrence of keywords, co-citation, and country-level collaboration networks. The results reveal that research activity is highly concentrated around core themes such as microplastic occurrence, polymer identification, aquatic ecosystem contamination, and ecotoxicological impacts. Keyword analysis shows a strong emphasis on environmental monitoring, pollution pathways in freshwater and marine systems, and biological exposure through ingestion and toxicity. The co-authorship and institutional networks indicate the presence of several well-established but partially fragmented research groups, with limited cross-cluster integration. At the country level, China, the United States, and India emerge as dominant contributors and central hubs in global collaboration networks, while European and other regions form distinct secondary clusters. The study highlights a transition in the research landscape from descriptive monitoring toward more advanced analytical approaches, including risk assessment and standardized detection methodologies.
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Distribution, abundance and risks of microplastics in the environment
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This bibliometric analysis reviewed the global state of microplastic research, finding that microplastics have been detected in water bodies and sediments across all seven continents and four oceans. The study highlights that meaningful comparisons between studies remain difficult due to inconsistent sampling methods and concentration units. Researchers note that while microplastics and their adsorbed pollutants can harm marine organisms, the effects on human health through contaminated seafood remain unclear.
Bibliometric analysis of microplastic pollution in marine and coastal environments: trends and perspectives
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This study doesn't test microplastics directly—instead, it reviews and maps over 6,500 scientific papers to show how research on ocean and coastal microplastic pollution has grown since the 1980s, revealing it's now a major, well-established field of study involving scientists worldwide. While it doesn't reveal new health findings, it confirms that concern about microplastics' effects on marine life—and potentially on the people who eat seafood—is backed by a large and rapidly expanding body of scientific evidence, not just isolated studies.
Research Trends on The Presence of Microplastic Particles in The Environment and The Impact of Microplastics Around the World From 2010 - 2022: A Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis
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This literature review and bibliometric analysis maps global research trends on microplastic pollution and its environmental and health impacts from 2010 to 2022. Publication rates have increased dramatically over the period, with most research focused on marine and freshwater contamination. The study provides a useful overview of where microplastic science has grown and where gaps remain.
A bibliometric review on microplastic research trends and knowledge gaps in surface and groundwater systems
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Researchers analyzed nearly 50,000 records on freshwater microplastic contamination published between 2010 and 2025, finding that China dominates research output, PE and PP fibers and fragments are the most commonly detected polymer types, and the field's biggest bottleneck remains a lack of standardized sampling and analytical methods.
Freshwater microplastics pollution: Detecting and visualizing emerging trends based on Citespace II
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Researchers used bibliometric analysis software to systematically map the emerging field of freshwater microplastic research. The study found a significant gap between freshwater and marine microplastic research, with most freshwater studies conducted in developed countries despite developing nations facing the most severe plastic pollution. The authors note that while rivers and lakes have received some attention, other freshwater sources like groundwater and reservoirs remain largely unstudied.
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