Mapping the scientific research on non-point source pollution: a bibliometric analysis.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Water Resources
• Engineering

Background:

• Non-point source (NPS) pollution research has significantly expanded since 1991.
• Bibliometric analysis provides insights into research trends and global contributions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the progress and future research trends of non-point source (NPS) pollution from 1991-2015.
• To identify key research areas, leading countries, institutions, and journals in NPS pollution studies.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-Expanded) of Web of Science (WoS).
• Analysis of document types, languages, publication output, subject categories, journals, country/institution distribution, and author keywords.

Main Results:

• A sharply increasing trend in NPS pollution research was observed.
• Articles in English dominated, with "Environmental Sciences and Ecology," "Water Resources," and "Engineering" as top subject categories.
• The USA led research output and quality, followed by the UK and China. Key research hotspots included "water," "model," "agriculture," "nitrogen," and "phosphorus."

Conclusions:

• The study provides a comprehensive overview of NPS pollution research dynamics.
• Identified trends and hotspots can guide future research directions in environmental science and water resource management.