A Multidimensional Bibliometric Analysis of Research Hotspots and Development Trends in Functional Microorganisms of the Genus Geobacter

Rapid industrialization, urbanization, resource exploitation, and energy use have caused global pollution and ecological degradation, hindering sustainable development. Functionally versatile microbes are eco-friendly resources for addressing environmental problems. Geobacter, a vital genus featuring outstanding extracellular electron transfer (EET), has drawn widespread research interest, with studies centered on EET mechanisms, microbial fuel cells, biogeochemical cycling and environmental bioremediation. Though valuable across energy, environmental and geoscience disciplines, a systematic bibliometric review of Geobacter research evolution is absent. This paper fills the gap via comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 2000–2026 Web of Science Core Collection papers covering Geobacter and the closely related genus Trichlorobacter, recently re-established as a standalone genus, focusing on bioremediation, dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction, microbial electrochemistry and biogeochemical cycles. This bibliometric profiling clarifies the evolving research frontiers in electroactive microbe-mediated environmental remediation and geochemical cycling, delivering refined scientific implications and actionable theoretical guidance for future ecological restoration and pollution remediation practices.