Journal profile · Endocrinology & Metabolism
Biological Trace Element Research
ISSN 0163-4984 · eISSN 1559-0720 · Springer US · UNITED STATES · Semimonthly · Founded 1979
Biological Trace Element Research: CAS Zone 3 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.21; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,290; median 87 days to acceptance (94 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 50%; 446 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Biological Trace Element Research is published by Springer US and is in Zone 3 of Biology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Trace Elements in Health, Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity and Selenium in Biological Systems, together about 50.7% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Biological Trace Element Research is an international journal dedicated to publishing high-quality articles that advance knowledge of the importance and roles of trace elements for the health and well-being of humans and animals. This knowledge may be conveyed by original research articles, brief communications, and reviews, including those describing negative results from well-preformed experiments giving unexpected or unusual findings. Classical experiments using animal and human models to study deficiency, supra-nutritional, pharmacological, and toxicological aspects of trace elements are especially desired. In vitro, cell culture and microbial models that help in defining the biochemical and physiological roles of trace elements are also welcomed. Studies involving plant models are invited if they are related to the provision of trace elements to animals and humans. Articles involving the importance of trace elements for plant growth, composition, and reproduction will be considered more suitable for other journals focusing on that area of science. Submission of manuscripts describing the use of an agent to treat trace element-induced toxicity are discouraged unless the treatment provides information of the mechanism of the trace-element induced toxicity or the agent is specially designed, such as a newly designed chelating ligand, to attempt to treat the trace-element-induced toxicity. Submission of manuscripts describing the synthesis of nanoparticles or similar materials accompanied by basic toxicity or efficacy experiments are discouraged unless the studies provide novel information of the mechanism and/or physiological significance of trace element-induced toxicity or other activity in a biological system. Submission of manuscripts describing the trace element content of local food items are discouraged unless the manuscript places the results into a broader context. Health risk assessment of local data does not necessarily provide such broader context. Submission of manuscripts describing predictive results from database studies is discouraged unless the findings are validated in a biological system. Biological Trace Element Research is published monthly - online - to provide timely and useful information to nutritionists, physiologists, biochemists, chemists, and toxicologists about the biological importance of trace elements.Past Editor-in-Chief: Gerhard N. Schrauzer, San Diego, CA, United States of America (deceased 2014)
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Endocrinology & Metabolism
Editor-in-chief Wen-Hsing ChengPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 5 in mainland China (about 9%); most named United States 19, Türkiye 7, Mainland China 5, India 4, Germany 4 (58 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Trace Elements in HealthNursing21.1%
- Heavy Metal Exposure and ToxicityEnvironmental Science19%
- Selenium in Biological SystemsNursing10.7%
- Heavy metals in environmentEnvironmental Science6.3%
- Mercury impact and mitigation studiesEnvironmental Science4.6%
- Aluminum toxicity and tolerance in plants and animalsAgricultural and Biological Sciences3.7%
- Iron Metabolism and DisordersMedicine3.2%
- Heavy Metals in PlantsChemistry3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEEmbaseCASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 4.21LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.3Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 9.3LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.89LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.11LetPub ·
- h-index
- 69LetPub ·
- h-index
- 140OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 6,634OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.59OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 17.76%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 436LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,600,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 10,642 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 396 | 129 | 126 |
| 2025 | 446 | 100 | 1,291 |
| 2024 | 460 | 128 | 3,253 |
| 2023 | 498 | 104 | 6,772 |
| 2022 | 498 | 99 | 7,725 |
| 2021 | 531 | 75 | 11,189 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
87 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 66 days – 113 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 8 days (94 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 97 days
- Sample
- 94 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,317 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 2 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer review, Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,290 / EUR 3,290 / GBP 2,890 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | No APC | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted4
- brief communicationOriginal article, Brief communication, Short communication Back to topLength not stated
- editorialSingle-blind peer review This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. Peer Review Process All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial assessment by…Length not stated
- original articleOriginal article, Brief communication, Short communication Back to topLength not stated
- short communicationOriginal article, Brief communication, Short communication Back to topLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Plagiarism, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria; use must be documented in Methods Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Author Contributions
Authors are encouraged to include a statement that specifies the contribution of every author to the research and preparation of the manuscript.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data Availability
Data Availability Statement required for all original research Model summary
All original research must include a Data Availability Statement. Data Availability Statements should provide information on where data supporting the results reported in the article can be found. Statements should include, where applicable, hyperlinks to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. When it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when in…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
COPE member; follows COPE guidelines on misconduct Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Biological Trace Element Research, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Single-blind peer review
Reviewer suggestions/exclusions allowed Model summary
This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. Peer Review Process All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial assessment by a Co-Editor-in-Chief, who may assign them to an Associate Editor or a Guest Editor (if the paper has been submitted to a collection). Manuscripts that meet our editorial criteria are sent for formal review by two or three reviewers. Reviewers are selected based on…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Plagiarism
Plagiarism screening software may be used Model summary
the journal may use software to screen for plagiarism
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer US
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1979
- ISSN
- 0163-4984
- Electronic ISSN
- 1559-0720
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 204, Issue 9 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Biological Trace Element Research
What CAS zone is Biological Trace Element Research in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Biological Trace Element Research is in Zone 3 of Biology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Endocrinology & Metabolism. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Biological Trace Element Research?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.21; CiteScore 9.3, h-index 140.
How long does peer review take at Biological Trace Element Research?
Based on the dates recorded on 94 articles published between September 2024 and September 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 87 days (interquartile range 66–113 days); authors report an average review time of about 2 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 50%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Biological Trace Element Research?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Biological Trace Element Research based?
Of the 58 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 5 (about 9%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (19), Türkiye (7) and Mainland China (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Biological Trace Element Research?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Biological Trace Element Research is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, Embase, CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Biological Trace Element Research open access, and what is the APC?
Biological Trace Element Research is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,290.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .