Bibliometric and visual analysis of global research on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and children's health: evidence, emerging concerns, and research gaps.

BACKGROUND

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental pollutants that interfere with hormonal systems and may pose serious risks to children's health during critical developmental stages. Despite many studies, a comprehensive overview of global research trends is still lacking.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive bibliometric and visual analysis of global research trends on EDCs and pediatric health over the past two decades.

METHODS

Relevant publications from 1 January 2005 to 4 June 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Microsoft Excel, CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the R package 'bibliometrix' were used to analyze publication trends, influential countries, institutions, authorship, journal distribution, keyword co-occurrence, and emerging research topics.

RESULTS

A total of 3,241 publications from 95 countries and regions were identified. The United States led with 38.29% of publications and the highest citation frequency. Among the top 10 productive authors, seven were based in the US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was the most prolific institution. Environmental Research published the largest number of articles (199, 6.14%). Major research hotspots included autism spectrum disorder, precocious puberty, child behavior, postnatal exposure, and human exposure. The most frequent keywords were 'endocrine-disrupting chemicals,' 'bisphenol A,' and 'exposure.'

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides the first systematic bibliometric overview of global research on EDCs and children's health. The results highlight increasing academic attention and identify key contributors and emerging themes, offering guidance for future research and policy development in pediatric environmental health.