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Review

Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Groundwater Heavy Metal Pollution Research Based on Web of Science

by
Yizhen Xie
1,
Wenchao Jia
2,
Min Tan
1,
Yu Feng
1,
Shijun Fu
1 and
Dongdong Zhang
1,3,*
1
Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
2
South China Institute of Environmental Science, MEE (Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China), Guangzhou 510655, China
3
National–Regional Engineering Center for Recovery of Waste Gases from Metallurgical and Chemical Industries, Kunming 650500, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2025, 17(7), 942; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070942
Submission received: 2 March 2025 / Revised: 20 March 2025 / Accepted: 22 March 2025 / Published: 24 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Water Quality and Contamination)
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Abstract

:
Groundwater is an important part of maintaining the balance of the ecosystem and one of the main freshwater resources of human society. It has therefore attracted much attention in the field of the environment, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the research hotspots, cooperation networks and development processes in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation, and objectively reflect the scientific contributions and influences of relevant countries (regions), institutions and individuals in this field. To provide researchers with a comprehensive understanding of research trends in the field of heavy metal contamination in groundwater, this study analyzes 8147 publications from 1998 to 2024 using the Web of Science Core Collection database from the ISI Web of Knowledge. Bibliometric analysis was conducted with the data visualization tools CiteSpace and HistCite Pro. The study examines key aspects such as major research institutions, and research directions, offering insights into the application and development of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation since 1998. The bibliometric visualization analysis of the literature in this field provides valuable insights into research directions, development trends, and emerging hotspots, offering guidance for future studies on groundwater heavy metal contamination. The analysis indicates that China and India have made significant contributions to groundwater heavy metal research. Zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium are the primary water pollutants and key research targets. However, many challenges remain in heavy metal detection, including the migration and transformation pathways of heavy metals in water bodies, interference from different matrices, and the complex chemical forms in which heavy metals exist. Future research on groundwater heavy metals will continue to focus on pollution mechanisms, source identification, risk assessment and management, bioremediation, and treatment technologies. Efforts will be made to develop technologies that enable rapid, high-precision detection and efficient heavy metal recovery.

1. Introduction

Groundwater plays a crucial role in human life and ecosystem freshwater [1,2]. It serves as the primary drinking water source in many regions and supports agricultural irrigation and industrial production. Additionally, it maintains the ecological balance of wetlands and rivers, providing essential water for plants and animals.
Heavy metal contamination of groundwater refers to the presence of metals such as copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and other heavy metals exceeding environmental standards [3]. These heavy metals can originate from various human activities, including industrial wastewater, agricultural pollution, and urban drainage [4,5], or they can be released through natural geological processes. These pollutants have a range of negative impacts on both the environment and human health [6,7]. Heavy metal contamination in groundwater can significantly do harm to ecosystems. High concentrations of heavy metals can disrupt the balance of microbial communities in groundwater, affect the survival and reproduction of aquatic plants and animals, and lead to the collapse of the groundwater ecosystem. For instance, excessive cadmium levels can inhibit the growth of aquatic plants [8], reducing oxygen release into the water, leading to hypoxia, and ultimately compromising the overall health of the aquatic ecosystem. Inorganic mercury in water bodies can be transformed by microorganisms into methylmercury, a more toxic form that bioaccumulates and magnifies through the food chain. Consumption of contaminated fish and drinking water may lead to neurological, renal, and immune system damage [8]. Lead is a typical heavy metal pollutant in aquatic environments, posing severe risks to both human health and ecosystems. Long-term lead exposure can result in neurological damage, anemia, kidney dysfunction, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, the persistent presence of lead ions reduces the self-purification capacity of water bodies, leading to rapid water quality deterioration [9]. Moreover, heavy metal contamination in groundwater poses substantial risks to human health [10,11]. When contaminated groundwater is used as drinking water, the heavy metals can be ingested by the human body, resulting in chronic poisoning or other health problems. Prolonged consumption of groundwater with high cadmium concentrations can cause osteoporosis, kidney damage, and other severe health issues, presenting a significant threat to human well-being. Therefore, effective monitoring, assessment, and remediation of heavy metal pollution in groundwater are essential.
Currently, the primary research focus in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation is on the mechanisms of pollution and the migration and transformation processes of heavy metals. Future research will place greater emphasis on the migration and transformation of heavy metals in different geological settings, as well as the interactions of heavy metal pollutants in the groundwater–soil–vegetation system. Meanwhile, developing efficient, rapid, and low-cost pollution source identification and monitoring technologies remains a key research area. Various techniques, including chemical treatment [12,13], new material technologies [14,15], and sensor technologies [16,17], are being applied to the monitoring, identification, and remediation of groundwater heavy metal pollution. However, there is a lack of reported studies on the metrological analysis of heavy metal-related groundwater research. This study aims to explore research trends in the field of groundwater heavy metals by using Citespace and HistCite Pro to systematically analyze and visualize data from publications between 1998 and 2024, including affiliated institutions, countries, keywords, and citation frequency. The findings provide valuable insights into the current status, research frontiers, and future directions of this field [18].

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Data Source

The ISI Web of Science (WOS) core database, provided by Thomson Reuters, includes the most important and influential research literature globally and is widely recognized as a major retrieval platform. In this study, a search was conducted in the SCI database, covering the period from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2024, with the search conducted on 4 February 2025. The search was carried out using the topic (TS) field with the following search query: “TS = (heavy metal* groundwater) OR TS = (heavy metals* groundwater) OR TS = (heavy metal* ground water) OR TS = (heavy metals* ground water).” The article types selected were “Article” and “Review Article.” A total of 8147 publications were retrieved, including 654 review articles.

2.2. Analytical Method

HistCite Pro, CiteSpace, and the built-in analysis features of Web of Science were used to conduct a series of bibliometric analyses, including collaboration network analysis, co-occurrence analysis, cluster analysis, and burst analysis. Key metrics such as publication volume, citation frequency, intermediary centrality, and burst intensity were set to visualize and identify the research hotspots and trends in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation. The analysis also focused on the main countries, research institutions, and authors in the field, outlining their research achievements and collaborative relationships. This approach aims to deepen the understanding of the field and provide insights and references for future research. CiteSpace is capable of conceptualizing and visualizing bibliometric data. It draws on and incorporates theories such as Derek John de Solla Price’s theory of scientific frontiers, the structural hole theory of social network analysis, and the information foraging theory of scientific communication. CiteSpace can generate national collaboration network maps, institutional collaboration network maps, keyword clustering maps, and keyword burst detection maps. The first two visualizations provide an intuitive representation of the intensity of collaboration and contributions of different countries and institutions in the field of groundwater heavy metals. The latter two maps clearly illustrate the primary research objectives of scholars over different time periods. By analyzing these visualizations, researchers can systematically examine key countries, leading research institutions, and influential authors, as well as their research outputs and collaborations. This facilitates a deeper understanding of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation and serves as a valuable reference for future studies. HistCite Pro 2.1 is a software primarily based on citation analysis theory, integrating bibliometric laws such as Bradford’s Law, Lotka’s Law, and Zipf’s Law to analyze and visualize bibliometric data. Using the citation analysis tools in HistCite Pro 2.1, the study performed statistical analysis on metrics such as publication volume, total global citation score (TGCS), and total local citation score (TLCS). The total global citation score (TGCS) refers to the total number of citations for the articles in different categories within the WOS database, regardless of whether the citing articles are related to the study’s specific research direction. In contrast, the total local citation score (TLCS) measures the number of citations within the local dataset (all articles retrieved using specific keywords in Web of Science and imported into HistCite Pro 2.1). Since the local dataset consists of articles directly related to the search terms, TLCS is commonly used to indicate the influence of articles within the specific research domain.

3. Results and Analysis

3.1. Number of Publications

A total of 8147 papers related to heavy metals in groundwater were retrieved from the Web of Science core database for the period from 1998 to 2024. The trend in publication volume over the 25-year period is shown in Figure 1. Overall, the publication volume in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation steadily increased year by year. Based on the average annual publication volume, the research period can be roughly divided into three stages:
Slow Development Stage (1998–2004): During this stage, a total of 502 papers were published, with an average of approximately 71 papers per year and an annual increase of fewer than 10 papers. The standard deviation is calculated as 20.35, indicating that there was no significant change in the growth pattern during this phase. It indicates that while some scholars had started research in this field, it had not yet become a major research focus or cutting-edge topic.
Rapid Development Stage (2005–2017): In this stage, a total of 2947 papers were published, with an average of approximately 226 papers per year and an annual increase of about 21 papers. In 2005, there was a noticeable increase in the number of publications, marking a significant shift in the growth trend. From this year onwards, the scale and impact of academic research significantly strengthened. The standard deviation is calculated as 71.69, indicating an increase in volatility. It suggests that groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation gradually became a research hotspot, attracting more and more researchers and leading to rapid development in the field.
Explosive Development Stage (2018–2024): A total of 4659 papers were published in this stage, with an average of 665 papers per year and an annual increase of around 80 papers. In 2018, another significant change in the number of publications occurred, with the growth curve showing a sharp increase. The calculated standard deviation of 115.44 indicates extreme volatility, suggesting that the scope and impact of academic research expanded significantly, reaching unprecedented levels. After reaching a peak in publication volume in 2022 (791 papers), the number slightly decreased but remained at a high level. During this period, more countries increased their investment in water environmental protection and pollution control. For example, in Europe, the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes [19] (adopted in 1992) was amended in 2016, allowing all UN member states to join the revised agreement. After 2018, the gradual participation of African and Middle Eastern countries highlighted the growing global attention to water resource protection. In the United States, the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 [20] was enacted to improve water infrastructure. China also issued the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Water Pollution [21] in 2015. These conventions, laws, and national policies have made water environment protection a growing priority, prompting researchers to increase their focus and investment in groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation. This has led to sustained growth in scientific research output in the field.

3.2. Main Published Journals

By examining the journals that published literature in the field of groundwater heavy metals, it is possible to accurately identify the authoritative journals in this area [22]. According to the search results from the Web of Science database, the 8147 papers in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation were published across 1124 journals. Table 1 provides an analysis of the top 10 journals in this field based on their total local citation score (TLCS), total global citation score (TGCS), publication volume, impact factor, and other relevant metrics. Most of these journals are leading or authoritative journals in the environmental science field. This analysis highlights the journals that have the most significant influence and research output in the domain of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation, demonstrating the prominence of these journals in disseminating key research and advancements within the field.
The total local citation score (TLCS) is often used to represent the influence of a journal within its research field, so the rankings in Table 1 are primarily based on TLCS data. As shown in Table 1, Science of the Total Environment is the most influential and impactful journal in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation. It ranks first in TLCS, second in TGCS, and also holds the highest publication volume. This journal is classified as a Q1 Top journal in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) journal ranking. It focuses on cutting-edge environmental science research and its relationship with human society, and its published findings have a high impact, earning broad recognition and attention from researchers worldwide. The second most influential journal is the Journal of Hazardous Materials, which ranks the second in TLCS and the first in TGCS, surpassing Science of the Total Environment by over 2000 citations. It also enjoys high recognition in the environmental science field and is classified as a Q1 Top journal in the CAS ranking, underlining its significant role in advancing research on hazardous materials and their environmental impacts. The scope of research covered by the Journal of Hazardous Materials is not limited to the environmental field, which explains why, despite its high impact, it does not lead in publication volume and instead ranks at a moderate level. The third most influential journal is Chemosphere, followed by Environmental Monitoring and Assessment and Environmental Science and Pollution Research. In addition, Water Research and Environmental Science & Technology, both classified as Q1 Top journals in the CAS, also show strong performance in terms of impact factor.
These journals collectively demonstrate broad influence and high academic quality. Regularly following these publications can provide a quick and comprehensive understanding of the latest research developments, emerging issues, and significant findings in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation.

3.3. Main Countries and Regions

According to the SCI database in the Web of Science core collection, researchers from 144 countries and regions have conducted studies on groundwater heavy metals [23]. Figure 2 lists the top 10 countries and regions based on publication volume. It shows that China, India, and the United States have placed significant emphasis on research in groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation. The combined publication volume from these three countries accounts for nearly 50% of the total global publication volume, with China alone contributing almost a quarter of the global total. It highlights China’s strong focus on groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation research. It also reflects that, despite progress, there are still challenges in the governance and remediation of groundwater heavy metal pollution in China, indicating the need for continued research and efforts by domestic scholars in this field.
In the diagram of country cooperation network (Figure 3), the purple outer circles of the nodes indicate higher intermediary centrality. The thicker the outer circle is, the more frequently the country appears on critical pathways connecting other nodes, signifying closer relationships and greater importance and influence [24]. The bluish-green lines represent collaborations between countries prior to 2012, suggesting that these countries began their research in the groundwater heavy metal field earlier. From the network, it is evident that Western countries, such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, began their research in the groundwater heavy metal field earlier than most Asian countries. This implies that research in Western countries is more advanced, particularly in terms of theoretical understanding and remediation techniques, which can serve as valuable lessons for domestic researchers. The number and frequency of connections between countries also indicate that there has been long-term and close collaboration in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution control and remediation, forming a highly interconnected and collaborative network between countries.
The visualization results reveal that the United States, China, and India have made substantial contributions to the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation. The United States has strengthened pollution source regulation, particularly under the frameworks of the Clean Water Act [25] (CWA) and the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act [26] (RLDWA), enhancing industrial and agricultural pollution management while driving technological innovation and large-scale remediation projects. China has prioritized water pollution control since the early 2000s by implementing strict discharge standards, advancing water quality monitoring, and conducting risk assessments for heavy metal pollution. The Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Water Pollution [21] and the 13th Five-Year Plan set specific remediation targets, with a strong emphasis on international cooperation in pollution management. India, in recent years, has launched several environmental protection initiatives, particularly through the National Water Policy [27] and the Namami Gange Programme [28], focusing on mitigating heavy metal contamination in water bodies. Despite challenges in resource allocation and enforcement, India has made progress in strengthening regulations and improving implementation standards.

3.4. Major Research Institutions

According to the SCI database in the Web of Science core collection, a total of 5889 research institutions have conducted studies on groundwater heavy metals. Table 2 lists the top 10 influential research institutions, among which four are from China: the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China University of Geosciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Tongji University. These institutions have made significant contributions to the field, further highlighting China’s growing influence in groundwater heavy metal research.
As shown in Table 2, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has the highest publication volume, with 324 papers, indicating China’s significant contribution to groundwater heavy metal research. It also reflects China’s substantial influence in this field. Institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in India, and King Saud University in Saudi Arabia have also placed considerable emphasis on this field. These institutions have high-level research platforms and have invested substantial research resources, enabling their studies to be more in-depth and mature. Analysis using HistCite Pro 2.1 software of the collected literature reveals that the Chinese Academy of Sciences leads with the highest TLCS of 956 and TGCS of 13,368. From the research institution collaboration network diagram (Figure 4), it is evident that the Chinese Academy of Sciences not only collaborates closely with other institutions but also holds the highest centrality. It indicates that the Chinese Academy of Sciences plays a pivotal role and holds significant influence in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation.

3.5. Paper Citations

3.5.1. Co-Cited Articles

There is a certain level of similarity between co-cited documents. By visualizing co-citation, each document is treated as a node, and if two or more references are cited by the same paper, they are connected by a line, forming a co-citation relationship. By selecting documents that have been co-cited more than 70 times, a co-citation network map (Figure 5) is generated using VOSviewer. These highly co-cited papers primarily discuss the impact of heavy metals in water bodies on the surrounding environment. It suggests that during this period, significant research achievements were made in the field, and these findings hold considerable reference value. Moreover, although some newly published papers have relatively fewer citations, they may represent emerging research directions. Along with time, these topics are likely to become prominent research areas in the future.

3.5.2. Highly Cited Papers

The total local citation score (TLCS) indicates the level of attention a paper receives within its field. By combining the co-citation network map and HistCite Pro 2.1 analysis software, the top five papers with the highest TLCS were identified (Table 3). These five papers share a common feature: they all conduct in-depth research on the migration and transformation of heavy metals in water bodies and their impact on the environment and human health. It suggests that these papers have made significant contributions to the understanding of groundwater heavy metal pollution and its broader ecological and health implications.
Said Muhammad et al. [44] used a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer (Perkin Elmer, AAS-PEA-700) to analyze the concentrations of heavy metals in drinking water samples (both surface and groundwater) from the Kohistan region in northern Pakistan. They compared these concentrations with the permissible limits set by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on the heavy metal concentrations, they calculated health risk assessments, including Chronic Daily Intake (CDI) and Hazard Quotient (HQ). Furthermore, multivariate statistical analyses, such as one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), metal correlation, cluster analysis (CA), and principal component analysis (PCA), indicated that both geological and anthropogenic activities are the primary sources of water pollution in the Kohistan region. Pokkate Wongsasuluk et al. [47] assessed the health risks associated with groundwater heavy metal pollution. They analyzed well water samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results indicated that the metal concentrations in the sample wells and the overall average values were all below the acceptable groundwater standards. Specifically, the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, nickel, and zinc were all below the permissible limits for groundwater. The study concluded that people living in warmer climate regions, where daily water intake is higher, are more susceptible to groundwater pollution and face greater risks. This could lead to an increase in both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health defects among local populations exposed to heavy metals through drinking contaminated groundwater. R.K. Rattan et al. [49] conducted a case study to assess the long-term impact of wastewater irrigation on the metal content in soil, plants, and groundwater. They selected suburban agricultural land for the study, collecting samples from wastewater, groundwater, soil, and plants to analyze metal concentrations. The results indicate that the concentrations of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni) in the wastewater were significantly higher than those in groundwater. By comparing these findings with the parameters of soil irrigated with well water, it was concluded that the metal concentrations in the tissues of all crops were below the general toxicity threshold for plants. It suggests that while wastewater irrigation may elevate certain metal concentrations in the environment, it does not necessarily lead to plant toxicity at the observed levels. M.A. Hashim et al. [56] reviewed 35 groundwater treatment methods and classified them into three main categories: chemical treatment processes, biochemical/biological/biological adsorption treatment processes, and physicochemical treatment processes. They explained the complexity of soil chemistry and aquifer characteristics, noting that selecting the appropriate pollution remediation technology for a specific location is one of the most challenging tasks. The study found that two or more technologies could work synergistically to achieve better results. Kjeldsen P et al. [53] based on theoretical and model simulations, discussed the long-term behavior of landfills in terms of redox state changes. The study concluded that the main potential environmental impact of landfill leachate (which primarily contains four pollutants: dissolved organic matter, inorganic macromolecules, heavy metals, and xenobiotic biocompounds) is the contamination of groundwater and surface water. Existing data and model assessments suggest that, in most cases, exogenous organic compounds do not pose severe, long-lasting problems.
The high citation frequency of these papers highlights their outstanding position in the field of groundwater heavy metal research, emphasizing their significance within the academic community. These widely recognized and influential studies have provided valuable references for current academic research and will continue to shape the direction and research approaches in related fields. The enduring impact of these works further confirms their academic status and value. A deeper analysis of these studies will enable current researchers to better grasp emerging trends and key research topics in the field, ensuring they stay aligned with the evolving landscape of groundwater contamination and remediation research.

3.6. Research Hotspot in the Future Development Trend

3.6.1. Keyword Analysis

Keywords play an important role in the literature; they are a high-level summary of the research content, which can clearly reflect the main content and research trends in the research field [64]. During the statistical period of this study, the hotspot keywords related to groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation and restoration are shown in Table 4. Keywords with high centrality are key nodes in the network, indicating their central position and significant influence within the research field. The frequency of keyword occurrences reflects the extent of their popularity and importance in the area of study. By analyzing the centrality and frequency of keywords, researchers can gain a better understanding of the key trends, emerging topics, and important issues in the field. It can assist in developing research strategies and identifying new research opportunities.
As seen in Table 4, the top three keywords “zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and copper (Cu)” have a very high centrality, indicating that these three heavy metals are the most significant water pollutants and research targets in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution and remediation. Keywords such as water, soils, sewage sludge, and sediments reflect the primary environmental media in which heavy metals are present. These environmental media play a critical role in the migration and transformation of heavy metals. Systematically studying the relationship between environmental media and heavy metals is of significant importance for both heavy metal pollution remediation and pollution source tracing. Aside from keywords closely related to the search topic, such as “water”, the most frequently occurring terms are “removal” and “reduction”, with the latter also appearing with a relatively high frequency. It suggests that research on heavy metal pollution primarily focuses on removal with reduction methods being predominant. In particular, reduction technologies centered on zerovalent iron have become a research hotspot in recent years. It is noteworthy that the appearance of keywords such as “accumulation” and “phytoremediation” indicates the application of plant-based remediation technologies in the treatment and restoration of heavy metal pollution in groundwater, which provides valuable reference for similar studies. From the high centrality and frequency of these keywords, it can be observed that research on groundwater heavy metal pollution primarily covers the types of heavy metals (e.g., zinc, lead, copper), the migration and transformation patterns and forms of these metals in the environment, the processes of pollutant removal and accumulation, as well as the exploration of various methods, including plant remediation. The frequency and centrality data of these keywords are instrumental in understanding the focal points and research trends in this field.

3.6.2. Keywords Cluster

Through cluster analysis of the groundwater heavy metal field using CiteSpace, the results are shown in Figure 6, with four distinct clusters identified. In the cluster diagram, the modular value (Q value) = 0.3718 > 0.3, indicating a significant clustering structure. The average silhouette value (S value) = 0.7124 > 0.7, suggesting that the clustering is convincing. By analyzing the cluster labels in conjunction with hotspot keywords, it can be concluded that the hotspots in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation include research on the migration and transformation pathways of heavy metals in specific regions of water bodies, the forms of heavy metals under different environmental conditions, and technologies that are efficient, harmless, and have high heavy metal recovery rates. A detailed analysis of the keyword clusters is as follows:
Cluster #0 is labeled as “Health Risk Assessment” with research in this cluster primarily focused on evaluating the impact of heavy metals in groundwater on human health. It includes the development of risk assessment models, toxicity analysis, and strategies for mitigating these risks [65]. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on health risk assessment, reflecting both public and scientific concern about the health impacts of environmental pollution. Cluster #1 is labeled as an “Aqueous Solution” and it encompasses studies on the behavior and chemical properties of heavy metals in aqueous solutions. The migration and transformation of heavy metals in natural water bodies are highly complex. Their chemical forms include dissolved species, particulate-bound forms, and complexing forms. Cluster #1 also includes research on adsorption processes, solubility, solution kinetics, and related aspects [66]. Cluster #2 is labeled as a “Heavy Metal” and it focuses on the characteristics, sources, and environmental impacts of heavy metal pollution. The research includes the pollution levels, distribution characteristics, source analysis, and ecological effects of various heavy metals (e.g., lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, etc.) [67]. These studies help in understanding the extent and severity of heavy metal pollution and provide a scientific basis for pollution remediation efforts. Cluster #3 is labeled as a “Landfill Leachate”, and leachate from landfill sites is one of the major sources of heavy metal contamination in groundwater. This cluster focuses on the study of landfill leachate contamination of groundwater. The research covers the composition, migration behavior, and pollution risks of leachate to groundwater [68]. These studies are of significant importance for understanding and controlling the potential pollution of groundwater resources by landfill sites.

3.6.3. Burst Terms

The Burst Terms analysis feature in CiteSpace can detect significant changes in the occurrence of keywords over time, visualizing the emergence or burst of specific terms to reflect the forefront and trends in research development [69]. In this study, the top 25 burst keywords were extracted based on their burst strength, burst duration, and burst starting time, ranked from high to low (Figure 7). The blue segments represent the years when the keyword first appeared, while the red segments indicate the years of high activity for the keywords. Burst intensity indicates the degree to which the frequency of a keyword suddenly increases during a specific time period. Keywords with high burst intensity are typically research hotspots or emerging trends in a particular field. Burst duration refers to the length of time the burst phenomenon of a keyword lasts. The longer the duration is, the more prolonged is the keyword’s popularity, suggesting that it may be a long-term research focus in the field. Burst start time represents the initial point when the burst phenomenon of a keyword first appears. By examining the burst start time, the origin of a research hotspot can be traced, and its subsequent development can be analyzed.
As shown in Figure 7, the keyword with the highest burst value is “cadmium” (56.63), significantly higher than other keywords. It is followed by “copper” (38.35), “zinc” (37.72), “lead”, and “Pb” (combined total of 34.86). These heavy metal-related keywords have maintained a high level of research interest from the start of the statistical period in 1998 through to 2016, with nearly two decades of consistent attention. Cadmium exhibited the highest burst intensity, indicating that it was the most widely studied heavy metal and possibly one of the earliest to attract significant research attention. Between 1999 and 2005, the emergence of burst terms such as “sewage sludge”, “soils”, “speciation”, “sequential extraction”, and “mobility” indicates a shift in research focus from the types of heavy metals to their forms and the processes of migration and transformation in environmental media, with the research content becoming more in-depth. Between 2014 and 2019, “zero-valent iron” emerged as a burst term, indicating a research surge in this area. After this period, no high burst-value keywords related to materials appeared. It may be due to the influence of zero-valent iron research, leading more researchers to focus their time and efforts on the development and application of various new materials. As a result, multiple new materials and technologies emerged, and no further burst terms related to pollution were observed. This suggests that during this period, researchers made rapid progress in exploring new methods, marking a shift toward the maturation of treatment technologies. In 2017, the health risk-related keywords “human health” emerged as a burst term. Subsequently, between 2019 and 2024, keywords such as “human health risk”, “potentially toxic elements”, and “drinking” entered their burst periods. This indicates that an increasing number of researchers are focusing on the relationship between environmental quality, ecological risks, and human health. Research from the perspective of health risk assessment for heavy metal pollution remediation and treatment technologies is expected to become a key focus of future studies. Furthermore, since 2022, the emergence of the term “potentially toxic elements” (PTEs) suggests that current research may be addressing more complex environmental pollution issues and associated health risks. It is noteworthy that the regional burst term “West Bengal” first appeared in 2005. Since 2005, groundwater heavy metal pollution in India has become increasingly severe, with approximately 10% of the country’s districts having groundwater contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, chromium, cadmium, and other metals. Followed by “China” in 2014. In 2014, China released the 2014 China Environmental Bulletin [70], which reported that more than half of the water quality tests at 4896 groundwater monitoring points were classified as poor or below. At some monitoring points, the levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, hexavalent chromium, and cadmium exceeded the safety standards. These indicate an increasing focus on heavy metal pollution studies in specific regions or areas. Combined with the aforementioned health risk-related keywords, this suggests that regional or local health risk assessments for heavy metal pollution will likely become a significant research hotspot in the future.

4. Summary and Outlook

This study conducts a bibliometric and visual analysis of the literature on groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation published from 1998 to 2024, based on the Web of Science core database. The CiteSpace visualization tool and HistCite Pro 2.1 bibliometric software were employed for data analysis. A total of 8147 screened publications were imported into these tools for a comprehensive examination of publication trends, research hotspots, and other key aspects. The results indicate that in recent years, research on groundwater heavy metals has attracted increasing attention, with the overall number of publications showing a steady upward trend. The research outcomes from India and China are highly recognized and influential, placing them at the forefront of international research and making significant contributions to the field. This result is driven not only by the large populations of both countries but also by the varying degrees of pollution in China’s Yellow River and Yangtze River, as well as India’s Ganges River. As a result, both countries have substantial research funding and a large pool of researchers dedicated to water pollution remediation projects. Research institutions in both countries are highly concentrated, primarily represented by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Indian Institutes of Technology, among others. China has a particularly high level of attention directed towards groundwater heavy metal research, leading the number of publications, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences also showing notably higher TLCSs (Total Local Citation Scores) and TGCSs (Total Global Citation Scores) than institutions in other countries.
Papers in the field of groundwater heavy metals are primarily published in journals such as Science of the Total Environment, Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Chemosphere. The paper titled “Health risk assessment of heavy metals and their source apportionment in drinking water of Kohistan region, northern Pakistan” holds the highest TLCS (Total Local Citation Score). The other four papers also exhibit high TLCSs, and reviewing these articles can provide valuable insights into the research hotspots in this field and help formulate new research strategies.
Analysis of high-frequency keywords and keyword burst detection in groundwater heavy metal-related literature reveals that zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium are the primary waterborne heavy metal pollutants and key research targets. The findings indicate that current research hotspots in the field include studies on the migration and transformation pathways of heavy metals in specific regions of groundwater, the forms of heavy metals in different environmental conditions, and the development of efficient, harmless technologies for the recovery and reuse of heavy metals.
Future research on groundwater heavy metals will continue to focus on areas such as pollution mechanisms, source identification, risk assessment and management, bioremediation, and treatment technologies. There will be an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, aiming to ensure the sustainable use of groundwater resources and the health of the ecological environment.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to the conceptualization and investigation. Y.X.: methodology, data collection, and writing—original draft, review and editing. W.J.: writing—original draft, review and editing. M.T.: writing—review and editing, funding acquisition, project administration, and supervision. Y.F.: writing—review and editing. S.F.: methodology and writing, review and editing. D.Z.: methodology, writing—original draft, review and editing, and supervision. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Y.X. and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Key Research and Develop Program of Jiangxi Province (20244BBG73007) and the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2022A1515110111).

Data Availability Statement

No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Kunming University of Science and Technology, South China Institute of Environmental Science, for scientific cooperation.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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Figure 1. The number of relevant literatures in the field of groundwater heavy metals from 1998 to 2024.
Figure 1. The number of relevant literatures in the field of groundwater heavy metals from 1998 to 2024.
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Figure 2. The top 10 countries in the field of groundwater heavy metal research are published.
Figure 2. The top 10 countries in the field of groundwater heavy metal research are published.
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Figure 3. The diagram of country cooperation network in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024.
Figure 3. The diagram of country cooperation network in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024.
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Figure 4. Institutional collaboration network map in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024.
Figure 4. Institutional collaboration network map in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024.
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Figure 5. Co-citation network map of literature in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024 (Piper, A.M., 1944 [29]. Li, Z., 2013 [30]. Smedley, P.L., 2002 [31]. Hakanson, L., 1980 [32]. Walkley, A., 1934 [33]. Backman, B., 1998 [34]. Liu, C.W., 2003 [35]. Mohan, D., 2007 [36]. Mandal, B.K., 2002 [37]. Xiao, J.,2018 [38]. Turekian, K.K.,1961 [39]. Mohan, S.V.,1996 [40]. Prasad, B., 2001 [41]. Edet, A.E.,2002 [42]. Järup, L., 2003 [43]. Muhammad, S., 2011 [44]. Khan, S., 2008 [45]. Lim, H.,2008 [46]. Wongsasuluk, P., 2014 [47]. Muller, G., 1969 [48]. Rattan, R.K., 2005 [49]. Gibbs, R.J., 1970 [50]. Wang, J., 2017 [51]. Wu, B.,2009 [52]. Kjeldsen, P., 2002 [53]. Tomlinson, D.L., 1980 [54]. Ho, Y.S., 1999 [55]. Hashim, M.A., 2011 [56]. Mulligan, C.N., 2001 [57]. Fu, F., 2011 [58]. Tessier, A.P., 1979 [59]. Bridgewater, L.,2012 [60]. Langmuir, I., 1918 [61]. Jacobs, H.L., 1965 [62]. Gorchev, H.G., 1984 [63]).
Figure 5. Co-citation network map of literature in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024 (Piper, A.M., 1944 [29]. Li, Z., 2013 [30]. Smedley, P.L., 2002 [31]. Hakanson, L., 1980 [32]. Walkley, A., 1934 [33]. Backman, B., 1998 [34]. Liu, C.W., 2003 [35]. Mohan, D., 2007 [36]. Mandal, B.K., 2002 [37]. Xiao, J.,2018 [38]. Turekian, K.K.,1961 [39]. Mohan, S.V.,1996 [40]. Prasad, B., 2001 [41]. Edet, A.E.,2002 [42]. Järup, L., 2003 [43]. Muhammad, S., 2011 [44]. Khan, S., 2008 [45]. Lim, H.,2008 [46]. Wongsasuluk, P., 2014 [47]. Muller, G., 1969 [48]. Rattan, R.K., 2005 [49]. Gibbs, R.J., 1970 [50]. Wang, J., 2017 [51]. Wu, B.,2009 [52]. Kjeldsen, P., 2002 [53]. Tomlinson, D.L., 1980 [54]. Ho, Y.S., 1999 [55]. Hashim, M.A., 2011 [56]. Mulligan, C.N., 2001 [57]. Fu, F., 2011 [58]. Tessier, A.P., 1979 [59]. Bridgewater, L.,2012 [60]. Langmuir, I., 1918 [61]. Jacobs, H.L., 1965 [62]. Gorchev, H.G., 1984 [63]).
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Figure 6. Keyword clustering map of research institutions in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024.
Figure 6. Keyword clustering map of research institutions in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation from 1998 to 2024.
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Figure 7. Keyword burst detection map in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remedi–ation from 1998 to 2024.
Figure 7. Keyword burst detection map in the field of groundwater heavy metal pollution remedi–ation from 1998 to 2024.
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Table 1. The top 10 journals in the field of groundwater heavy metal research of comprehensive strength.
Table 1. The top 10 journals in the field of groundwater heavy metal research of comprehensive strength.
Journal NameTLCSTGCS CAS Journal PartitionPublicationsIF 2023
1Science of the Total Environment105118,827Q13648.2
2Journal of Hazardous Materials88620,576Q121212.2
3Chemosphere68311,756Q22208.1
4Environmental Science and Pollution Research6728309Q33365.8
5Environmental Monitoring and Assessment5737735Q42492.9
6Environmental Geochemistry and Health6044110Q31503.2
7Journal of Environmental Management4305993Q21278.0
8Water Research4225646Q17111.4
9Environmental Pollution3898054Q21527.6
10Environmental Science & Technology2765665Q16210.8
Table 2. The top 10 research institutions in the field of groundwater heavy metals have been published.
Table 2. The top 10 research institutions in the field of groundwater heavy metals have been published.
RankResearch InstituteNumber of PublicationsCountryTLCSTGCS
1Chinese Academy of Sciences324China95613,368
2Indian Institute of Technology205India2462839
3CSIR India163India1571199
4China University of Geosciences140China1502196
5King Saud University133Saudi Arabia1582953
6University of Chinese Academy of Sciences120China702413
7U.S. Department of Energy101America1532462
8Centre national de la recherche scientifique97France531799
9Tongji University75China421998
10Helmholtz Association71Germany482002
Table 3. Paper information for the top five in local citation frequency.
Table 3. Paper information for the top five in local citation frequency.
RankTitleAuthorTLCSTGCSPublication YearSource Journal
1Health risk assessment of heavy metals and their source apportionment in drinking water of Kohistan region, northern Pakistan [44]Said Muhammad1475052011Microchemical Journal
2Heavy metal contamination and human health risk assessment in drinking water from shallow groundwater wells in an agricultural area in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand [47]Pokkate Wongsasuluk1303632014Environmental Geochemistry and Health
3Remediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated groundwater [56]M.A. Hashim1206742011Journal of Environmental Management
4Long-term impact of irrigation with sewage effluents on heavy metal content in soils, crops and groundwater—a case study [49]R.K. Rattan1167212005Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment
5Present and long-term composition of MSW landfill leachate: A review [53]Peter Kjeldsen11216922002Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology
Table 4. Centrality ranking table of heavy metal hotspots in groundwater.
Table 4. Centrality ranking table of heavy metal hotspots in groundwater.
RankCentralityKeywordsFrequency
11.58zinc346
20.98copper288
30.84lead365
40.64sewage sludge164
50.63accumulation370
60.58phytoremediation97
70.57removal698
80.57Cd80
90.47Pb127
100.47elements114
110.46water909
120.39trace metals262
130.38soils354
140.37sediments432
150.37reduction196
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Xie, Y.; Jia, W.; Tan, M.; Feng, Y.; Fu, S.; Zhang, D. Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Groundwater Heavy Metal Pollution Research Based on Web of Science. Water 2025, 17, 942. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070942

AMA Style

Xie Y, Jia W, Tan M, Feng Y, Fu S, Zhang D. Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Groundwater Heavy Metal Pollution Research Based on Web of Science. Water. 2025; 17(7):942. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070942

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xie, Yizhen, Wenchao Jia, Min Tan, Yu Feng, Shijun Fu, and Dongdong Zhang. 2025. "Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Groundwater Heavy Metal Pollution Research Based on Web of Science" Water 17, no. 7: 942. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070942

APA Style

Xie, Y., Jia, W., Tan, M., Feng, Y., Fu, S., & Zhang, D. (2025). Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Groundwater Heavy Metal Pollution Research Based on Web of Science. Water, 17(7), 942. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070942

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