Global trends and prospects in the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract This study examined 9066 publications on the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) published between 1998 and 2019 through a bibliometric approach based on the SCIE and SSCI databases. The overall research distribution of PPCPs, characteristics of pollutants, water pollution types, and up-to-date treatment technologies were revealed. The results showed that the number of articles relating to the removal of PPCPs increased significantly, with China contributing the most, followed by the United States and Spain. Water Research is the most productive journal, and the h-index is the highest (110). Five clusters were identified from the keyword network, namely polluted water types, biological treatment, adsorption, advanced oxidation, and membrane treatment technology. Through the elaboration of clustering and its relationship, it was found that research and development of technologies were the main concerns, and the application of adsorption technology was the most extensive. The most commonly used adsorbent is carbon material, while nanomaterial and biomaterial adsorbent are promising. These findings help to identify the global trend of PPCPs removal and provide valuable references for further research in this area.