Call For Paper - Upcoming Conferences
Research Article | Open Access | Download PDF
Volume 13 | Issue 6 | Year 2026 | Article Id. IJCE-V13I6P117 | DOI : https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V13I6P117

Rural Sanitation and Sustainable Development Analysis from a Bibliometric Perspective Based on Global Scientific Production, Emphasizing Latin America

Albert Jorddy Valenzuela Inga, Diego Roy Jesus Aranda, Luis Gustavo Zavaleta García Aron Jhonatan Aliaga Contreras

Received Revised Accepted Published
19 Mar 2026 18 Apr 2026 17 May 2026 30 Jun 2026

Citation :

Albert Jorddy Valenzuela Inga, Diego Roy Jesus Aranda, Luis Gustavo Zavaleta García Aron Jhonatan Aliaga Contreras, "Rural Sanitation and Sustainable Development Analysis from a Bibliometric Perspective Based on Global Scientific Production, Emphasizing Latin America," International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 241-256, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V13I6P117

Abstract

A bibliometric analysis is conducted to identify trends, stakeholders, prominent methodologies, and less studied topics in the scientific literature related to rural sanitation and sustainable development, with an emphasis on Latin America. The quantitative, descriptive, and longitudinal bibliometric techniques employed in the current research utilized the Scopus and Web of Science records until early 2026. The three research queries are related to SDG 6, sustainability, technology, performance, and equity and inclusion. The sample was obtained after exporting the metadata and filtering in spreadsheets; the data was exported in. ris format and subsequently analyzed in VOSviewer, considering productivity indicators such as leading production countries, and keyword co-occurrence. The results showed that studies related to SDG 6 started in 2008, showing a moderate increasing trend and then reaching a peak in 2024 (with 5 publications) and thereafter one publication in early 2026. The other series started in 1976, reaching its peak in 2025 (with 19 research papers) and registered four publications so far in 2026. Regarding equity, production started in 2005 and showed an inconsistent trend, reaching five publications in 2024 and three in the current year. The results show that Asia is the leading region in research production—with China and India being the key contributors—and outpacing the Latin American region, where Brazil, Chile, and Guatemala (in that order) are the most representative countries in research production. Thematically, the technocentric and the economic-normative clusters were the most common; the topics related to governance, operation, and maintenance, post-implementation monitoring, and equity are less studied. It is concluded that rural sanitation sustainability is currently partially studied and unevenly addressed, as the efforts are mainly directed to technical performance and economic viability; this approach fails to consider continuity of the service or inclusion, which limits the link between rural sanitation and sustainability, especially in Latin America.

Keywords

Rural Sanitation, Bibliometrics, SDG 6, Sustainability, Latin America.

References

  1. Latrines: Sanitary Facilities in Rural Areas, Trujillo Di? - Your Regional Citizen's Daily, 2010. [Online]. Available: http://trujillodiwebnoticias.blogspot.com/2010/11/letrinas-servicios-higienicos-en-zonas.html
  2. Soumyajit Koley, “Sustainability Appraisal of Arsenic Mitigation Policy Innovations in West Bengal, India,” Infrastructure Asset Management, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 17-37, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  3. Siyakubonga Buso, and Tom Were Okello, “Bridging the Gap: Assessing Sanitation Practices and Community Engagement for Sustainable Rural Development in the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Municipality, South Africa,” Sustainability, vol. 17, no. 23, pp. 1-15, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  4. Vinod K. Mishra, and Brian J. Bell, “Verifying Open Defecation Free Status: Experiences and Insights Going to Scale in India,” 36th WEDC International Conference, Nakuru, Kenya, pp. 1-5, 2013.
    [    Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  5. K. Kumarasaravanan, Sridhar Ramasamy, and RC. Ilambirai, “Intelligent Interconnected Water Management System for Arid Zones using Solar Photovoltaic Power,” Journal of Applied Science and Engineering, vol. 30, pp. 1-15, 2026.
    [    CrossRef] [Publisher Link]
  6. Zhiwei Zhu et al., “Iron-Carbon Enhanced CW-MFC for Treating High COD/TN Rural Greywater: Performance and Microbial Synergy in Bioenergy Recovery,” Biochemical Engineering Journal, vol. 227, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  7. Ryan Cronk, and Jamie Bartram, “Identifying Opportunities to Improve Piped Water Continuity and Water System Monitoring in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama: Evidence from Bayesian Networks and Regression Analysis,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 196, pp. 1-10, 2018.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  8. Marcin K. Widomski, and Anna Musz-Pomorska, “Economic Sustainability of Selected Individual On-Site Systems of Rural Sanitation under Conditions in Poland,” Sustainability, vol. 17, no 22, pp. 1-27, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  9. Sidnei Aranha et al., “Lessons and Challenges of Sanitation Governance in Different Territories of Global South and North: A Systematic Review,” GeoJournal, vol. 90, pp. 1-28, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  10. Jennyfer Wolf et al., “Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Handwashing with Soap on Risk of Diarrhoeal Disease in Children in Low-Income and Middle-Income Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” The Lancet, vol. 400, no. 10345, pp. 48-59, 2022.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  11. Anna V. M. Machado et al., “Critical Factors for the Success of Rural Water Supply Services in Brazil,” Water, vol. 11, no. 10, pp. 1-14, 2019.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  12. Juan Avila et al., “Benefits-Risks Analysis of Drinking Water Systems in Small and Rural Indigenous (SRI) Communities in Canada,” Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-19, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  13. M’bènibé Gmakouba et al., “Hydrostructural Mapping of Basement Aquifers in the Mô Basin, NW Togo,” Results in Engineering, vol. 29, pp. 1-16, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  14. Antonina Torrens et al., “Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Wastewater Reuse: Treatment Wetlands for Irrigation at Ndiebene Gandiol School, Senegal,” Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, vol. 15, no. 12, pp. 993-1006, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  15. Faisal Baig et al., “Synergies and Struggles: Water Security and Climate Action in South Asia’s Quest for SDG 6 and SDG 13,” Gondwana Research, vol. 148, pp. 393-414, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  16. Betty Nakibuule et al., “Categorization of Household Drinking Water and Sanitation Service Levels and Associated Determinants in Uganda,” Scientific Reports, vol. 16, pp. 1-19, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  17. Sukmawati et al., “Indigenous Bacterial Diversity and Identification in Domestic Wastewater in Small Tropical Island,” Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 269-28, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  18. Charlotte Lafont et al., “Manganese Removal in a Full-Scale Constructed Wetland for Passive Mine Water Treatment: Environmental Factors and Microbial Communities,” Water Research, vol. 295, pp. 1-11, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  19. Jennifer Teerlink et al., “Removal of Trace Organic Chemicals in Onsite Wastewater Soil Treatment Units: A Laboratory Experiment,” Water Research, vol. 46, no. 16, pp. 5174-5184, 2012.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  20. Adzania Fernandes Leopoldino et al., “Innovative Vermifiltration with Brachiaria: Enhancing Wastewater Treatment in Rural Areas,” Journal of Environmental Engineering, vol. 151, no. 2, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  21. Rania Nayif Daibes, and Ghassan Durra Alhaddad, “Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen Distribution Effects on Nitrogen Removal Efficiency in Oxidation Ditch Systems,” Scientific Reports, vol. 16, pp. 1-10, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  22. Harishvar Jothinathan, and Ajit Pratap Singh, “Decentralized Faecal Sludge Management in Rural India by Integrating Drying Beds for Dewatering and Coagulation for Leachate Treatment: A Sustainable, Cost-Effective, Nature-Based Solution,” Journal of Water Process Engineering, vol. 79, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  23. Betsie le Roux et al., Enhancing Socio-Ecological Interactions to Achieve Sustainable Decentralised Sanitation Systems: Why People are not using Technical Solutions, Circular and Transformative Economy, 1st ed., CRC Press, pp. 1-19, 2024.
    [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  24. V. Venkatramanan, Shachi Shah, and Ram Prasad, Exploring Synergies and Trade-offs between Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals, 1st ed., Springer, pp. 1-402, 2021.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  25. LI Jia-qi et al., “Analysis of Factors Affecting the Compatibility of Construction and Operation of Rural Wastewater Treatment Facilities,” China Rural Water and Hydropower, no. 12, pp. 101-107, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  26. Dayron Reyes Domínguez, Marta Beatriz Infante Abreu, and Aurica Luminita Parv, “Industry 4.0/5.0 Maturity Models: Empirical Validation, Sectoral Scope, and Applicability to Emerging Economies,” Systems, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 1-48, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  27. Linna Geng et al., “How do Digital Technologies Reduce Carbon Emissions in the Construction Industry? A Systematic Review,” Energy and Buildings, vol. 350, pp. 1-13, 2026.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  28. Dagoberto Ruiz et al., “Design of an Efficient Constructed Wetland Prototype for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment in Developing Countries: A Community Case Study in Mexico,” Journal of Water Process Engineering, vol. 69, pp. 1-6, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  29. Mohammad A. Tabieh et al., “Designing Sustainable Business Models for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS),” Water Conservation & Management (WCM), vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 1-12, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  30. Gusmiati Gusmiati et al., “Analysis of Individual Aspects in Riverbank Slums on Sustainable Sanitation Development (Case Study: Bima City, NTB, Indonesia,” Journal of Engineering and Technological Sciences, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 304-316, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  31. Mubarak A. Al-Noaimi, “SDG Goal 6 Monitoring in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” Desalination and Water Treatment, vol. 176, pp. 406-427, 2020.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  32. Wagner José de Aguiar et al., “Integration between Municipal Master Plans and River Basin Plans in the Northeastern Semi-arid Region: Perspectives for Governance,” Brazilian Journal of Physical Geography, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 487-502, 2022.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]