Bibliometric analysis of marine pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean: trends and perspectives

Hoyos-Alayo W.M. · Revista Ciencias Marinas y Costeras (2026) · DOI: 10.15359/revmar.18-2-1

Resumen

The rise in marine pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean, resulting from poor waste management, untreated wastewater discharges, and oil spills, poses a serious threat to biodiversity and human health. This study aimed to quantitatively assess the evolution of scientific research on marine pollution in the region, identifying trends in growth, collaboration, and thematic specialization. Bibliometric mapping was applied to 6,481 records retrieved from Scopus (1970-2026), processed with Bibliometrix 5.1.1 and VOSviewer 1.6.20, to calculate indicators of productivity, impact, collaboration, and conceptual evolution using the RPYS model. The results reveal an annual growth rate of 5.08%, with 18,577 authors, an average of 4.93 co-authors per publication, 25.58% international collaboration, and 27.83 average citations per document. Brazil and Mexico lead the regional scientific output, while extra-regional participation is led by the United States through multi-affiliation collaboration networks. The dominant research fronts focus on microplastics, heavy metals, and oil spills. Rather than measuring SDG compliance directly, the study shows that the main thematic fronts are connected to the problem domains addressed by SDG targets 6.3, 12.5, 13.2, and 14.1.

Instituciones: Universidad Tecnológica del Perú