Research status and emerging trends in remediation of contaminated sites: a bibliometric network analysis

Abstract

Site contamination poses a grave danger to the environmental quality and human health, and its remediation has been a focus of worldwide concern over the last few decades. Based on 5068 bibliographic data (2001–2022) acquired from the Web of Science Core Collection, this study employed a scientometric analysis approach to analyze the present state and investigate the trends of contaminated site remediation studies. The results of this study provide an in-depth response to the following: (1) publication characteristics of polluted site restoration studies; (2) basic information on countries, institutions, journals, and disciplines engaged in remediation research in contaminated areas; and (3) a summary of development trends and hotspots in poisoned field cleanup investigations. In summary, this study assessed the results of research on contaminated site remediation. Those unfamiliar with contaminated site remediation could utilize the information in this study to rapidly merge into the field and grasp the forefront of research on this subject. This article can be regarded as a reference for scholars who desire to conduct further research on relevant subjects.