Photoactive Catalysts for Treatment of Air Pollutants: A Review through Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract In recent years, photocatalysts are becoming attractive to researchers in exploring their application for treatment of air pollutants. Exposure to Ultra-Violet Visible (UV-VIS) light on photocatalysts often makes them active in decomposing various toxic materials into less or environment-friendly products. Thus, the identification, as well as simple synthesis and processing of photocatalysts, could ultimately lead to the technologies for the cost-effective mitigation of environmental hazards. A bibliometric analysis has been carried out here to understand and assess the current trend in photocatalyst research. The data retrieved from the Scopus database on the topic for 2000–2020 were analysed to investigate the research activities of the past to foresight the future. Various facets of bibliometry were investigated to produce this holistic review. The contribution of various countries, institutions and authors were investigated. Numerous facets of photocatalyst such as types of photocatalysts, their modification through metal and nometal doping, their pollutants treatment potency, types of reactors for photocatalysis, factors influencing treatment performance and models used for designing reactors were examined. Substantial growth in the publication has been identified in the last two decades. The research trends, problem statements, adopted strategies, and materials explored on the photocatalysis for air pollution treatment over the recent years across the world could be insightful to the researchers and eventually will be beneficial to formulate new research strategies.