# Bibliometric Analysis of Medical Waste Research Using Python-Driven Algorithm
## 5 Conclusions and Prospects  
This bibliometric analysis targeting MW research uncovers notable trends and insights that indicate both advancements and obstacles in the discipline. Geographical collaboration patterns highlight the global nature of this topic, with specific concentrations of research activity concentrated in Asia, Europe, and worldwide.  
The observed rise in research output, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights increasing global attention toward the environmental and public health challenges posed by MW. A clear transition can be identified from traditional disposal methods, such as incineration, toward more sustainable alternatives, such as thermal plasma pyrolysis, advanced oxidation processes, and eco-conscious practices for plastic waste reduction. Improvements in waste treatment techniques, particularly sustainable technologies, indicate a continuous transition towards minimizing environmental and health issues. Moreover, robust policy frameworks and well-implemented regulatory practices are essential for ensuring the safe, sustainable, and standardized management of MW at both national and international levels. By tracking scientific production and identifying key trends, this study supports evidence-based data and offers a strategic foundation for researchers, institutions, and policymakers aiming to improve global MW management in a sustainable and equitable manner.  
Based on the present research in medical waste management, we identified several promising directions for future investigations. First, our keyword analysis revealed a growing interest in sustainable waste management approaches, with terms related to recycling, resource recovery, and circular economy principles showing increased frequency in recent publications. Second, the integration of technological innovations for waste treatment deserves further exploration, particularly regarding alternatives to incineration that minimize environmental impact while ensuring pathogen destruction. Third, our cluster analysis highlights the need for more research on the economic dimensions of medical waste management, especially cost-effective strategies for medical facilities in developing countries, where our study identified a limited number of publications. Fourth,the COVID-19 pandemic created unique challenges in handling infectious waste that require specialized protocols and systems for rapid scaling during medical emergencies. Finally, bridging the gap between academic research and practical implementation remains essential, as our analysis highlighted relatively weak connections between research clusters related to policy frameworks and technical treatment approaches. These directions align with the evolving research priorities identified in our bibliometric analysis and provide pathways for addressing the complex challenges of medical waste management in a post-pandemic world.  
Conceptualization, all authors; data curation, I.C. and P.A.N.; formal analysis, A.-F.R., A.R. and P.A.N.; investigation, I.C., A.-F.R., A.R. and G.B.; methodology, all authors; project administration, I.C.; software, P.A.N. and A.-F.R.; supervision, D.M.T.; validation, D.M.T. and G.B.; visualization, all authors; writing--original draft, all authors; writing--review and editing, A.-F.R. and G.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors on request.  
The authors would like to thank the University of Oradea, Romania, for supporting the present research.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.  
The following abbreviations are used in this manuscript:  
\begin{tabular}{l l} AI & Artificial intelligence \\ MW & Medical waste \\ SARS & Severe acute respiratory syndrome \\ TF-IDF & Term frequency–inverse document frequency \\ WOS & Web of Science \\ \end{tabular}