Research hotspots and trend analysis of organophosphorus pesticides in the environmental field based on bibliometrics

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) have gradually replaced organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) as one of the most widely used pesticides, and their extensive use poses a threat to the environment. Understanding the dynamics and trends of OPPs research in the environmental field is beneficial for researchers and environmental managers in related fields. Using bibliometric methods, literature on OPPs in the field of environment sourced from the core databases of China Knowledge Network (CNKI) and Web of Science (WoS) from 2000 to 2022 were analyzed, and the current status of research, hotspots, and trends on OPPs in the field of environment were systematically clarified. The development trends and emerging frontiers in OPPs research were also described and key future research directions were proposed. The results indicated a significant increase in publications over the last decade, with a total of 3 427 papers published internationally and in China. OPPs in the environmental field were mainly studied in water and soil, and the environmental behavior and characteristics of OPPs in water were more deeply investigated. Gas chromatography was a primary detection method for OPPs. Chlorpyrifos was one of the target pollutants that have been studied more frequently in the research of OPPs, and its detection rate in the environment was high. The research on OPPs in the environment in China and abroad was basically similar, with early-stage research (2000-2010) mainly focusing on the investigation of the extraction methods of OPPs in the environment. In the mid-term research (2011-2018), the main focus was on the hazards of OPPs in the environment and the evaluation of their impact on the environment. In recent years (2019-2022), research hotspots have primarily focused on OPPs residue, environmental detection and efficient removal methods. In the future, it was recommended to intensify research efforts towards identifying OPPs degradation products, assessing their environmental toxicity, exploring compound exposure scenarios, investigating environmental remediation strategies, and advancing the development of new nanomaterials and environmentally friendly pesticide alternatives.