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From Environmental Pollutants to Electricity Generation: A Bibliometric Correlation Between Bioelectrochemistry and Pollutants in the Environment
Summary
Scientists are studying special systems that use bacteria to break down pollutants—including microplastics—while producing electricity as a byproduct, turning waste cleanup into a power source. This review analyzed research trends in the field and found growing evidence that this "waste-to-energy" approach is maturing from lab experiments toward real-world use. For consumers, this matters because it points toward more sustainable ways to remove harmful contaminants from our water and environment, potentially reducing our long-term exposure to pollutants that can affect health.
The rise in the presence and identification of biorefractory pollutants, also known as emerging contaminants (ECs) like microplastics, in the environment has been notable in recent times, attributed to factors such as population growth, changes in lifestyle, and rapid industrialization. A variety of pollutant substances are necessitated suitable remediation. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) represent sustainable technologies that can be utilized. In the current bibliometric investigation, the connection between bioelectrochemistry and pollutants in the environment is examined. Data obtained from the Web of Science database were utilized for the bibliometric analysis employing VOSviewer and R. According to the results, a highly integrated and rapidly maturing research landscape, characterized by a clear transition from fundamental technological development to large-scale environmental applications. The study serves as the essential bridge between the two primary pillars of the field: sustainable energy recovery and environmental remediation. The keyword co-occurrence networks illustrate a sophisticated synergy where the oxidative biodegradation of organic pollutants is directly coupled with electricity generation. A key discovery is the inherent synergy between the biodegradation of pollutants and the generation of electricity, which characterizes the contemporary ‘waste-to-energy’ model.