Bibliometrics and visualization analysis of microplastics research in water from 2011 to 2023

Microplastics in water have emerged as a significant public concern in recent years due to their potential adverse impacts on both human and animal health. This study conducts an analysis of articles published in key journals indexed in the Web of Science from 2011 to 2023, employing CiteSpace and VOSviewer for data extraction and visualization. The results elucidate a marked increase in both the number of publications and citations since 2018. Initially, the United Kingdom was at the forefront of research output in this domain, with a publication proportion of 16.59% from 2011 to 2017 and 4.37% from 2018 to 2023. However, the proportion of publications in China has increased from 10.31 to 40.45%. Notably, the Marine Pollution Bulletin has not only been an early contributor to this field but also holds the record for the highest number of published articles. Keyword analysis indicates research trends and hotspots. Recent investigations on microplastic removal techniques have predominantly centered on adsorption. Moreover, studies focusing on microplastics in surface water have also garnered considerable attention. This study offers a comprehensive review of existing research and provides guidance for future directions in microplastic research.