MICROPLASTICS FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Authors

  • T. H. F. Aagani Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
  • S. Azman ᵃDepartment of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia ᶠCentre for River and Coastal Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
  • M. Z. Mohamed Najib Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
  • Mazni Mat Zin Centre of Civil Engineering Studies, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Johor Branch, Pasir Gudang Campus, 81750 Masai, Johor, Malaysia
  • Nur Afifah A. Rahman Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
  • Zainab Haider Mussa College of Biotechnology, Al-Qasim Green University, Al-Qasim, Iraq
  • Fouad Fadhil Al-Qaim Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science for Women, University of Babylon, PO Box 4, Hilla, Iraq
  • Issa Farhan Deyab Medical Physics Department, Al-Mustaqbal University, 51001 Hillah, Babil, Iraq
  • Ilya Khairanis Othman ᵃDepartment of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia ᶠCentre for River and Coastal Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11113/jurnalteknologi.v88.23911

Keywords:

Microplastic, Wastewater treatment plant, pollution, effluent, Bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have received significant attention from researchers in recent years as WWTPs are a vital pathway for leaching MPs into the environment. This study employs bibliometric analysis to explore the evolution and emerging trends in research on MPs from WWTPs. This is achieved by employing a range of bibliometric techniques to analyse literature and to identify the publication pattern, prominent authors, journals, and countries contributing to the research in this field. A total of 205 research publications were analysed in this study based on the main keywords such as “microplastics” and “WWTP” and effluent”.  The scholars were not interested in MPs in WWTPs before 2015. However, around 84.4% of articles were published from 2020 to 2024, showing the rapid development in the related field. China leads in the number of publications. Currently, 52 countries have contributed to this field of   study. The hotspots in the research area are specified based on keyword clustering analysis. This comprehensive analysis is crucial for enhancing our understanding of the fate and existence of MPs in WWTPs and their effluent. This study also provides the perspective for future studies related to MPs in WWTPs.

 

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2026-06-16

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Vol. 88 No. 4: July 2026

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Science and Engineering

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