Global Research Trends on Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers: A Bibliometric Analysis
Downloads
Coastal aquifers are essential sources of freshwater for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use in many regions worldwide. However, these critical resources are increasingly threatened by seawater intrusion, a hydrogeological process exacerbated by excessive groundwater extraction, population growth, and climate change. A comprehensive understanding of the dynamics and research evolution of this phenomenon is vital to support the sustainable management of coastal water resources. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of global research on seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers from 2014 to 2024. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database and analysed using the Bibliometrix package in R, complemented by visualization techniques developed in Python. The analysis examines publication trends, identifies influential authors, institutions, and journals, explores international collaboration networks, and maps the thematic evolution of research topics. By applying key bibliometric indicators and established laws such as those of Bradford and Lotka, the study provides an integrated perspective on the structure, dynamics, and development of this research field.The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of global scientific efforts addressing seawater intrusion and offer insights to guide future research, technological innovation, and policy initiatives for the sustainable management of coastal groundwater resources.
Q. Su, R. D. Kambale, J. H. Tzeng, G. L. Amy, D. Ladner, and R. Karthikeyan, “The growing trend of saltwater intrusion and its impact on coastal agriculture: Challenges and opportunities,” Sci. Total Environ., vol. 966, no. January, p. 178701, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178701.
M. I. Hossain, A. S. Reza, S. M. Shafiuzzaman, M. S. U. Islam, and M. A. Rahman, “The effects of seawater intrusion on sustainable coastal areas: A comprehensive study on Bagerhat district, Bangladesh,” Reg. Stud. Mar. Sci., vol. 82, no. January, p. 104038, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104038.
K. Maas, “Influence of climate change on a Ghijben-Herzberg lens,” J. Hydrol., vol. 347, no. 1– 2, pp. 223–228, 2007, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.09.020.
H. L. Vacher, “Dupuit-Ghyben-Herzberg analysis of strip-island lenses,” no. April, pp. 580–592, 1988.
Z. Luo et al., “Approximate analytical solutions for assessing the effects of unsaturated flow on seawater extent in thin unconfined coastal aquifers,” Adv.
Water Resour., vol. 160, no. December 2021, p. 104104, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2021.104104.
N. O. C. Victor, E. Ileberi, L. O. Daniel, and I. S. Sinneh, Climate change impact on coastal groundwater salinity along the African Coast: With model prediction of economic cost, no. May. 2025. doi: 10.4018/979-8-3693-6829-9.ch012.
R. Dong, Y. Cai, X. Chen, C. Wang, and A. Lian, “Ecological Risk Assessment of Saltwater Intrusion and Urban Ecosystem Management in Shenzhen City,” Land, vol. 13, no. 9, pp. 1–16, 2024, doi: 10.3390/land13091338.
I. Medarhri, M. Farhloul, K. Najib, S. Slimani, and Zine, “Mixed finite element method of a seawater intrusion problem in confined aquifers,” E3S Web Conf., vol. 314, 2021, doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/202131405004.
S. Slimani, M. Farhloul, I. Medarhri, K. Najib, andZine, “Mixed formulation of a stationary seawater intrusion problem in confined aquifers,” Numer. Algorithms, vol. 91, no. 2, pp. 651–669, 2022, doi: 10.1007/s11075-022-01277-z.
D. Ji, J. Xue, W. Wang, J. Ma, and Z. Wang, “Assessment of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers by modified CCME-WQI Indicators: Decadal dynamics in North Jiaozhou Bay, China,” Ecol. Indic., vol. 175, no. May, p. 113591, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113591.
T. Cao, D. Han, and X. Song, “Past, present, and future of global seawater intrusion research: A bibliometric analysis,” J. Hydrol., vol. 603, no. PA, p. 126844, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126844.
S. Saad, A. A. Javadi, H. F. Abd-Elhamid, and R. Farmani, “Mitigating seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers: Novel approach with treated wastewater injection and groundwater circulation,” J. Hydrol., vol. 626, no. PA, p. 130139, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130139.
A. Kassem, A. Sefelnasr, A. A. Ebraheem, and M. Sherif, “Seawater intrusion physical models: A bibliometric analysis and review of mitigation strategies,” J. Hydrol., vol. 634, no. December 2023, p. 131135, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131135.
N. Donthu, S. Kumar, D. Mukherjee, N. Pandey, and W. M. Lim, “How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines,” J. Bus. Res., vol. 133, no. May, pp. 285–296, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070.
M. Aria and C. Cuccurullo, “bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis,” J. Informetr., vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 959–975, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007.
J. D. Hunter, “Matplotlib: A 2D graphics environment,” Comput. Sci. Eng., vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 90–95, 2007, doi: 10.1109/MCSE.2007.55.
J. Zerhouni, M. Hosni, and I. Medarhri, “Artificial Intelligence in Hydrogen Energy: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis,” Int. Conf. Artif. Intell. Appl. Innov. Ethics, AI2E 2025, pp. 1–6, 2025, doi: 10.1109/AI2E64943.2025.10982927.
