Journal profile · Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
BioMetals
ISSN 0966-0844 · eISSN 1572-8773 · Springer Netherlands · NETHERLANDS · Bimonthly · Founded 1988
BioMetals: CAS Zone 3 · Biology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,090; median 122 days to acceptance (101 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: moderate; 122 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
BioMetals is published by Springer Netherlands 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 Iron Metabolism and Disorders, together about 40.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis and Plant Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
BioMetals is a well established, international, multidisciplinary journal solely devoted to the rapid publication of articles and reviews in this unique field. BioMetals features the fundamental advances in both basic and applied research which involve the role of metal ions in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and medicine. BioMetals topic areas include: structures of new metal binding ligands, their interaction with proteins and membrane receptors as well as the biosynthesis gene regulation and metabolic pathways of intra- and extracellular metal binding compounds Homeostasis of essential metals the protection against metal toxicity by metalloregulatory proteins and the prevention of reactive oxygen species caused by certain metal ions transport proteins, transcription factors and cellular sensors that play a pivotal role in the uptake, efflux and storage of metal ions like iron, zinc, copper and other metal ions BioMetals provides a forum for new research and clinical results on the structure and function of metal ions, metal chelates, siderophores, metal-containing proteins and biominerals in all kinds of biosystems. Thus, metal ions in bacterial, fungal, plant, animal and other eukaryotic cells are all considered. Biosorption, bioremediation and environmental pollution studies may be submitted, provided that they give an insight into novel molecular mechanisms or important developments in practical applications. BioMetals is the premier journal for the presentation of data on metals relevant to medicine, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, microbiology, cell biology, chemistry and plant physiology. Note to Authors: The journal has seen a great increase in manuscripts submitted whose primary subject matter is not really suitable for publication in BioMetals. To avoid potential disappointment we wish to remind prospective authors that BioMetals only publishes papers that highlight the role, mechanisms and biological activity of metals and their complexes. Studies of metal containing nanoparticles, disease treatment modalities etc. that do not focus on the metal ions themselves or where the metal ions activity is secondary or not elucidated at all are usually better suited to more specialized journals.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Editor-in-chief Isabelle Michaud-SoretPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 3%); most named United States 7, United Kingdom 4, Germany 4, Italy 3, Poland 3 (31 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Trace Elements in HealthNursing20%
- Heavy Metal Exposure and ToxicityEnvironmental Science12.8%
- Iron Metabolism and DisordersMedicine8.1%
- Metal complexes synthesis and propertiesMedicine5.7%
- Heavy metals in environmentEnvironmental Science4.3%
- Aluminum toxicity and tolerance in plants and animalsAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.3%
- Plant Micronutrient Interactions and EffectsAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.1%
- Chromium effects and bioremediationEnvironmental Science3.6%
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 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Biology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Biology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | 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 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, 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
- 4LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.4LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.78LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.93LetPub ·
- h-index
- 94LetPub ·
- h-index
- 137OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,943OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.92OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 17.08%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 120LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 431,700Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,843 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 108 | 31 | 48 |
| 2025 | 122 | 25 | 406 |
| 2024 | 90 | 20 | 799 |
| 2023 | 83 | 30 | 876 |
| 2022 | 127 | 40 | 2,314 |
| 2021 | 81 | 21 | 2,219 |
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 Crossref · to
122 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 88 days – 174 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 12 days (101 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 140 days
- Sample
- 101 articles with submission and acceptance dates (249 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 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- ModerateLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double 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 4,090 / EUR 3,090 / GBP 2,690 | — | — |
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
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
Competing interests disclosure required Model summary
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data availability statement required Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
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 BioMetals, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
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 Netherlands
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1988
- ISSN
- 0966-0844
- Electronic ISSN
- 1572-8773
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 39, Issue 5 (October 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about BioMetals
What CAS zone is BioMetals in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, BioMetals is in Zone 3 of Biology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Biology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of BioMetals?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4; CiteScore 7.4, h-index 137.
How long does peer review take at BioMetals?
Based on the dates recorded on 101 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 122 days (interquartile range 88–174 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Moderate”. 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 BioMetals?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; 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 BioMetals based?
Of the 31 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 3%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (7), United Kingdom (4) and Germany (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index BioMetals?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, BioMetals 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 BioMetals open access, and what is the APC?
BioMetals is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,090.
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: .