0
Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Policy & Risk Sign in to save

Mapping the Plastic Waste Research Landscape: A bibliometric analysis of the interdisciplinary nature of plastic waste research

Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal 2023 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 30 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Nabila Ahmad, Irlisuhayu Mohd Ramli, Hafizah Hammad Ahmad Khan

Summary

A bibliometric analysis of 2,735 papers on plastic waste published between 2011 and 2022 found that India and China were the most productive countries in this research field. The analysis identifies research networks, trends, and gaps to guide future work and policymakers.

The purpose of this study was to explore a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on plastic waste. A systematic literature search was conducted using the Scopus database to retrieve articles published between 2011 to 2022. The bibliometric indicators used such as the number of publications, citations, and collaboration networks. The study revealed 2735 articles on plastic waste were published. India and China were the most productive countries in terms of publication output. The analysis identified a strong network of collaborations among researchers. Several limitations were also identified. This study provides insights for future research and recommendations for policymakers.

Sign in to start a discussion.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Plastic Waste Management: A Bibliometric Analysis (1992–2022)

This bibliometric study mapped 30 years of scientific publications on plastic waste management (1992–2022), finding rapid growth in research output with China as the dominant contributor. Plastic waste management and microplastics emerged as the most influential research keywords, reflecting growing global concern about plastic pollution and water contamination. While this is a research landscape overview rather than an experimental study, it provides useful context for understanding how the field has evolved and where knowledge gaps remain.

Article Tier 2

A Comparative Bibliometric Analysis on Plastic Waste Recycling

This bibliometric study maps ten years of global research on plastic waste recycling and circular economy using Scopus and Web of Science, identifying dominant themes, leading countries, and emerging directions. It is primarily a research-landscape analysis with minimal direct content on microplastic formation or health risks, making it only peripheral to microplastic science.

Article Tier 2

Tracking the plastic footprint: a bibliometric mapping of microplastics research in Asia (2015–2025)

Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of 3,797 Scopus-indexed Asian microplastics publications from 2015 to 2025, mapping research output, key contributors, and intellectual foundations. They found exponential growth since 2019 with China, India, and Indonesia leading, and identified four core research clusters—environmental occurrence, toxicology, food chain contamination, and remediation—as the field's intellectual pillars in Asia.

Article Tier 2

How Important is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Study of Plastic Waste? Use of Bibliometric Analysis to Reveal Research Positions and Future Directions

This paper is not about microplastics — it presents a bibliometric analysis of life cycle assessment (LCA) research on plastic waste from 2013 to 2022, mapping publication trends, leading countries, and key research themes.

Article Tier 2

Research landscape of a global environmental challenge: Microplastics

This bibliometric analysis mapped global microplastic research output, finding a sharp increase in publications since 2006 and identifying China, the USA, and Germany as the most prolific contributors. The study distinguishes between primary microplastics (industrially produced) and secondary microplastics (formed by fragmentation) and contextualizes their global distribution.

Share this paper