The Impact of Microplastics on Metabolic Disorders Worldwide: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Background: In recent years, the impact of microplastics on metabolic disorders has attracted widespread attention. As the field develops rapidly, analyzing research trends and identifying research hotspots is crucial to guide future directions, and a comprehensive bibliometric analysis can provide valuable insights for this purpose.
Methods: This study focused on documents published between 2019 and 2026, and the data came from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Use CiteSpace and VOSviewer to conduct visual analysis of authors, institutions, countries, co-cited references and keywords to reveal the knowledge structure and emerging trends in the field.
Results: A total of 140 documents from 66 journals, involving 971 researchers, 480 institutions and 41 countries/regions, were included in the analysis. The number of published articles worldwide is on the rise, especially in the past decade. China is the country with the most publications, Capital Medical University is the institution with the most publications, and Jin and Yuanxiang are the authors with the most publications. Keyword analysis shows that current research hotspots include nanoplastics, inflammation, polystyrene nanoplastics, and glucose metabolism.
Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the global research landscape, highlights the rapid growth and increasing complexity of the field, identifies key research hotspots and trends, and points to emerging directions that are critical for the further development of the field.