Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP): Bibliometric Analysis, Research Hotspot Evolution, and Mechanistic Insights (2005–2024)
Rui Xiao, Guoping Jiang, Wenbo Chai, Zhengyu Jin, Runbao Du, Mumtaz Khan, Zhenghua Liu, Huaqun Yin, Lechang Xu
Abstract
Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) is recognized as a promising, environmentally sustainable technology with diverse applications in environmental engineering. A bibliometric analysis of 5373 publications indexed in Web of Science from 2005 to 2024 was conducted using CiteSpace and VOSviewer to identify research trends and hotspots in biomineralization and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) studies. The results showed exponential growth in publications, increasing from 96 in 2004 to 397 in 2024 and spanning 91 interdisciplinary research areas. China, United States of America, and Germany were identified as the leading contributors. Research evolution was categorized into five distinct phases, progressing from initial crystal formation investigations to the current emphasis on underlying microbial mechanisms. Trend analysis revealed four emerging research hotspots: interfaces (0.22), crystal morphology (0.18), amorphous calcium carbonate (0.05), and bacteria (0.02). Mechanisms of MICP across bacteria, fungi, and algae were examined, revealing diverse metabolic pathways, including urea hydrolysis, denitrification, and photosynthesis. These findings suggest a paradigm shift in research toward microbial diversity and the role of extracellular polymeric substances. This shift provides valuable insights for developing sustainable biotechnological applications in environmental remediation.