Urban Pollution: A Bibliometric Review

Abstract

Prominent anthropogenic sources of pollution within urban areas, such as automobiles, industrial operations, and increased electricity usage, are linked to human activities that risk human health. This study aimed to examine the publication patterns and annual growth rates related to urban pollution in the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases. The comprehensive analysis encompasses productive countries, network connectivity, proactive institutions, and research keywords examined through ScientoPy and VOSviewer. This analysis revealed a fluctuating trend in urban pollution research in both databases from 1990 to 2021. Nonetheless, there was a notable surge in publications on the WoS database after 2008. Within the scope of this study, "Environmental Science and Ecology" has been identified as the most pivotal subject area. This study indicated that scholars from France, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, the United States, and China collaborated extensively, establishing robust research partnerships. The keyword “Urban pollution” has become the most prevalent, followed by “Pollution” and “Air pollution”. This study is subject to certain limitations, primarily from its reliance on the Scopus and WoS databases, which consequently influenced the data quality. Nevertheless, the study elucidates prevailing trends in urban pollution research, offering guidance to practitioners, prospective researchers, and policymakers in formulating novel concepts and a research agenda conducive to sustainable environmental dimensions.