Microbial Remediation Technology for Chromium Pollution in Groundwater: Research Hotspots, Mechanisms, and Environmental Factor Analysis
Microbial remediation is a widely used technology for treating chromium pollution in groundwater. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 441 papers from the Web of Science Core Collection (2010–2024) using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Pajek. The publication trend increased over the period, with three developmental stages identified: early (2010–2016) focusing on basic treatment methods, intermediate (2017–2019) on intrinsic mechanisms, and recent (2020–2024) on process optimization. Biological adsorption and reduction were identified as the primary mechanisms. Correlation and principal component analyses of environmental factors (temperature, pH, initial Cr concentration, reaction time) revealed temperature as the key factor affecting remediation efficiency. The removal efficiencies and mechanisms of various dominant bacterial strains were summarized to guide strain selection. Future research should focus on microbial community synergy, nanomaterial integration, and environmental optimization to enhance remediation efficiency.