Dioxins and plastic waste: A scientometric analysis and systematic literature review of the detection methods

Abstract

Dioxins are highly toxic compounds that pose significant risks to human health and the environment. Burning plastics is a major source of dioxin emissions, contributing to their presence in the environment. This review paper presents a scientometric analysis of publications spanning four decades (1987-2023) aiming to investigate the relationship between plastics and dioxin emissions. Relevant scientific articles were retrieved from the Scopus database, and quantitative analyses were carried out using the VOSviewer tool. Data on literature coupling, keyword co-occurrence, authorship, and countries/regions activities were extracted, mapped, interpreted, and validated. Additionally, a systematic literature review was conducted to provide comprehensive insights into the existing research on smart sensing technologies and strategies employed to mitigate dioxin emissions from plastic waste incineration. The findings showed that the number of articles and publications on dioxin emissions from plastic waste has rapidly increased since 2005, indicating growing research interest. The main keywords used for the analysis included “air pollutants”, “waste management”, “mass spectrometry”, and “toxicity”. The results of this paper contribute to a broader understanding of the complex relationship between plastics and environmental degradation, facilitating informed decision-making and smart technology integration for a more sustainable future.

Keywords

• Dioxin
• Plastic
• Waste
• Detection
• Scientometric analysis