Visualizing the bibliometrics of biochar research for remediation of arsenic pollution

Arsenic-contamination of soil and water has always been a topic of considerable concern, and the potential of biochar for remediation of arsenic contamination has been widely recognized due to its advantages, including abundant sources, simple preparation, large surface area, significant pore size, and rich functional groups. To gain insights into the development trends in this field and provide suggestions for future research directions, scientometric analysis was conducted on articles sourced from the Web of Science core collection database by using the CiteSpace and VOSviewer software. In total, 637 bibliographic records, retrieved using the keywords "biochar" and "arsenic" were analyzed based on publication distribution over the years, contributing countries, keywords, authors, cited authors, publishing journals, and highly cited articles. Further, progress maps were generated from these data sets to assess the current research landscape. Results revealed a steady increase in annual publications since 2009, and China has the most publications. Notably, Daniel C. W. Tsang stood out as a representative author. The journal "Science of the Total Environment" published the most articles related to biochar and arsenic. "Adsorption" is the most frequently occurring keyword. The investigations of the impact and mechanism of biochar and modified biochar on inorganic arsenic removal from water and immobilization in soil have been identified as current research focal points. In order to realize the efficient and safe use of biochar, the future necessitates the implementation of advanced technology to conduct further comprehensive research. This study highlights the ongoing advancements in the research field on biochar and arsenic. Valuable insights are provided for future researchers and policymakers to guide their significant efforts toward addressing the issue of soil and water contamination caused by arsenic and exploring the potential of biochar for effective remediation strategies.