Heavy metal accumulation in seaweed poses significant ecological and human health risks, with environmental factors like salinity, temperature, and pH profoundly influencing these processes. Despite the critical need for effective monitoring and remediation strategies, a comprehensive, data-driven understanding of global research trends and gaps in this field remains elusive. Addressing this, our study presents the first bibliometric analysis of the literature to systematically map the evolution of research on environmental factors and heavy metal accumulation in seaweed. The initial search in the Web of Science Core Collection yielded 723 references. After refining the dataset to include English-language research articles published between 2005 and 2024, a final set of 619 papers was selected for analysis. This novel, data-driven approach provides a macroscopic view of the field's intellectual structure and dynamic shifts.
Our analysis reveals a robust field anchored by 'heavy metals,' 'algae,' and 'cadmium' as foundational themes. Key co-occurrence clusters delineate three dominant research thrusts: environmental monitoring and risk assessment, mechanistic understanding of physiological responses and bio-solutions, and the development of remediation technologies. Thematic mapping indicates that core concepts like 'macroalgae,' 'pollution,' and 'accumulation' are actively gaining centrality, evolving towards 'Motor' themes that drive the field. Concurrently, 'biosorption' and 'adsorption' are identified as mature, specialized areas, suggesting a focus on refinement. Trend analysis highlights sustained interest in established concepts alongside the emergence of new frontiers such as 'biochar' for sustainable solutions and 'oxidative stress' for deeper biochemical insights. Geographic analysis reveals that China dominates the research landscape (227 papers), followed by India (125) and Spain (102). This integrated perspective identifies critical research gaps, including the pressing need for multi-stressor interaction studies, the scaling of real-world applications, and research on understudied species and ecosystems. These findings offer crucial, actionable directions for future research to develop more effective and sustainable mitigation strategies against marine heavy metal contamination, ultimately contributing to healthier marine environments and safer seafood.
