Revisiting bibliometric methods in natural solvent research (Int J Environ Sci Technol. 2024 Jul 1)

This study evaluates the article by de Lima et al. (Int J Environ Sci Technol, 2024) on the application of natural deep eutectic solvents in extracting bioactive compounds from fruit wastes, recognizing its insights into global trends and applications. While the original study contributes significantly to the field, we suggest critical improvements to enhance research quality and reliability. Key recommendations include refining search strategies, incorporating author collaboration network analysis, and evaluating the H-index of leading researchers. Specifically, we advocate for using focused search fields such as “Title”, “Abstract”, and “Author Keywords” and employing the Science Citation Index Expanded to minimize biases. Additionally, introducing social network analysis and H-index assessments could provide deeper insights into collaboration patterns and the impact of significant contributors. These enhancements promise to improve the accuracy of bibliometric analyses, offering clearer insights into the evolving dynamics of this research area.