Research Trends and Networks on Nanotechnology and Ethics: A Bibliometric Approach

Abstract

The bibliometric analysis of scientific production in nanotechnology and ethics between 2003 and 2025 reveals sustained growth in research within this field. There has been an exponential increase in the number of publications indexed in Scopus, reflecting the growing academic interest in evaluating the ethical implications of nanotechnology. The distribution of documents shows that scientific articles account for 50.11% of the total, followed by reviews at 16.55%, indicating efforts to synthesize existing knowledge. Regarding scientific production by country, the United States and China lead with the highest number of publications and citations, while Europe, particularly the United Kingdom and Germany, maintains a significant contribution. In Latin America, Brazil and Argentina stand out for their research on nanotechnology applications in biomedicine and sustainability. The analysis of scientific collaboration highlights Rodríguez J. and Williams K. as the researchers with the greatest impact and international networks, demonstrating the importance of academic cooperation in the advancement of this field. Additionally, the Journal of Nanotechnology and Ethics has established itself as the most influential source, with the highest h-index and total accumulated citations. These findings underscore the need for clear regulations and responsible governance in the application of nanomaterials. Nanotechnology will continue to expand into strategic sectors such as biomedicine and agriculture, requiring further studies to assess its environmental and ethical implications to ensure sustainable and equitable development.