<p>In recent years, the removal of bacteria from water sources has become a critical concern due to its impact on public health. This study examines the use of various nanomaterials, coating methods, and substrates to identify trends and hotspots in efficient <i>E. coli</i> elimination, based on a selected global database from 2003 to 2024. The current study offers a comprehensive review of recent advances in <i>E. coli</i> disinfection using photocatalyst-coated surfaces, while also proposing future research directions based on the current status and limitations. The research creates a visual representation of collaborations on photocatalytic surface coatings aimed at purifying <i>E. coli</i> in water. It analyzes various research domains, researchers, co-citation, and keyword clustering using software such as Citespace, VOSviewer, and Python. A comprehensive analysis of 229 selected studies from 2800 published papers indicates that titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is the most commonly used photocatalyst in antibacterial research. Its limited efficiency under natural sunlight has led to research on alternative materials and modification techniques for coatings applied to various substrates Coatings typically utilized materials such as glass, ceramics, stainless steel, and membranes. The primary coating methods included immersing, sol–gel, and dip-coating. This study highlights the advances and research gaps in coating nanomaterials on surfaces for bacterial removal. It also emphasizes the need for innovative strategies to reduce filtration time and to design new high-efficiency reactors.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>