Wood Waste to Biofertilizer: A Bibliometric Analysis of Biochar Applications in Soil Enhancement - Turning Waste into Valuable Resources
Keywords:
Wood Waste Biochar, Biofertilizer, Bibliometric analysis, Sustainable agriculture, Co-pyrolysis, Nutrient cyclingAbstract
This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research trends and knowledge structures related to the application and valorization of wood waste biochar for biofertilizer. Utilizing the Scopus database, known for its extensive multidisciplinary coverage and indexing consistency, this analysis aims to systematically map the global research landscape, identify prolific contributors, core journals, dominant keywords, and knowledge gaps in the field. A total of 318 relevant documents published between 2000 and 2023 were analyzed using VOS viewer and bibliometric indicators, including publication output, country collaboration, co-citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence. The results reveal a consistent upward trajectory in publication volume, especially after 2015, indicating increasing scholarly interest in sustainable soil enhancement through biochar. China, the United States, and India emerged as the leading contributors, often collaborating on interdisciplinary projects. Core journals such as Bioresource Technology, Chemosphere, and Science of the Total Environment dominated citations and total link strength. Keyword co-occurrence analysis highlighted major thematic clusters, including pyrolysis, soil amendment, composting, nutrient retention, and heavy metal remediation, confirming biochar's versatility in agro-environmental applications. Despite strong foundational research, the network view map generated by VOS viewer revealed fragmented clusters with limited interconnectivity between certain keywords—indicating a lack of integration between specialized subfields such as nutrient cycling, biochar functionalization, and waste valorization. Overlay visualization also revealed that emerging topics like co-pyrolysis, wood ash, and urine-based fertilizer recovery have only recently gained attention, offering fertile ground for future exploration. Future research is recommended to focus on (i) enhancing the linkage between experimental and field-scale studies, (ii) integrating underrepresented keywords such as nutrient availability, biosolids, and co-pyrolysis, and (iii) adopting a systems-based approach for evaluating biochar’s role across the soil–plant–microbe continuum. Furthermore, optimization of production and application parameters through multidisciplinary collaboration can advance biochar from lab-scale promise to real-world sustainability impact.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Nicky Rahmana Putra, Sathyamoorthy Manickham, Ranjith Bose, Hassan Saleemi, Pradeep Choudhary, Asma Humaid Mohamed , Fakhrah Zayed Mohamed Qarran
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