A two-decade comprehensive bibliometric analysis of charcoal and biochar as adsorbents for dye removal (2003-2023)

Abstract The treatment of wastewater has been the subject of increasing studies aimed at developing less costly and more efficient methods to be applied as can be observed in the present article. Today, with industrial growth, the discharge of dyes, medications, pesticides, and other harmful substances into the aquatic environment, there is a perception that improving the quality of water bodies is an emerging need worldwide, given that the evolution of industrial processes tends to increase the disposal of these materials into water. It should be highlighted that the use of alternative methods for treating contaminated water, such as adsorption, has sparked interest in various research institutions worldwide. This is because the processes currently used have a high cost but lack high efficiency for some types of contaminants. Consequently, the search for an efficient and low-cost material is increasingly growing, with an annual growth rate of 32,33% between 2003 and 2023. For example, in the last five years, 792 articles have been published, which represents 79% of the articles published between 2003 and 2023. This observed increase in annual production shows how important it is to develop new technologies for wastewater treatment.