River Water Quality and Trace Contaminants in Global Research with Scientometric Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18226981Keywords:
River water quality, Hydrochemistry, Trace contaminants, Heavy metals, Scientometric analysisAbstract
Rivers play a vital role in sustaining ecological systems, human societies, and regional economies, yet their water quality is increasingly threatened by trace contaminants and intensifying anthropogenic pressures. Despite the rapid growth of scientific output in this domain, global knowledge remains fragmented across regions, pollutants, and methodological approaches. This study provides a comprehensive scientometric assessment of research on river water quality and trace contaminants using 2,428 publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (1976–2025). A structured search strategy and exclusion criteria were applied to isolate records focusing specifically on trace elements, heavy metals, micropollutants, and related hydrochemical processes in riverine environments. Scientometric analyses—conducted using the bibliometrix package and Biblioshiny—include performance metrics, collaboration mapping, co-citation structures, bibliographic coupling, and co-word networks. The results reveal an accelerating annual growth rate (11.36%), dominated by contributions from China, India, and the USA, alongside a rising but uneven pattern of international collaboration. Keyword co-occurrence and clustering analyses identify three major thematic domains: (i) heavy-metal contamination and pollution assessment; (ii) basin-wide hydrochemical processes and source apportionment; and (iii) toxicological evaluations of individual trace metals. Emerging research fronts highlight increasing integration of advanced statistical techniques, GIS-based modelling, and ecological risk frameworks. Overall, this study elucidates the intellectual structure, knowledge gaps, and evolving research directions within global river contamination studies. The findings provide an evidence-based foundation for strengthening monitoring strategies, guiding policy development, and advancing interdisciplinary approaches essential for sustainable river basin management.
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