Scientometric Analysis and Visualization of Research on the Effects of Microplastics on Marine Life

The study investigated the effects of microplastics on marine life through scientometric analysis and visualization of research publications. A total of 8,397 scientific documents were collected from the Scopus database covering the years 2013 to 2022 using bibliometric tools. The analysis includes annual scientific production, prolific authors, influential journals, productive institutions, keyword co-occurrences, thematic structures, factorial maps, globally cited publications, research trends, country-wise contributions, international collaborations and funding agencies’ roles. The findings revealed that 2022 was the most productive year for publishing, with 3,239 documents. Y Zhang emerged as the most prolific author in this field, while the Journal of Science of the Total Environment had the highest number of publications. East China Normal University is the most productive institution that contributed the maximum number of publications. The word microplastic is the most frequently used keyword by researchers. The study ‘The Physical Impact of Microplastics on Marine Organisms: A Review’ by Wright, S. L. et al. was a highly cited paper, indicating its significance in the field. The analysis also highlighted the National Natural Science Foundation of China was the major funding agency and China exhibited the strongest international collaboration with the USA. This study provides crucial insights for addressing knowledge gaps, promoting collaboration and guiding evidence-based policies to mitigate the impacts of microplastics on marine ecosystems.