Journal profile · Environmental Sciences
Environmental Pollution
ISSN 0269-7491 · eISSN 1873-6424 · ELSEVIER · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 1987
Environmental Pollution: CAS Zone 2 · Environmental Science & Ecology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 7.2; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,090; median 85 days to acceptance (197 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 1,785 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Environmental Pollution is published by ELSEVIER and is in Zone 2 of Environmental Science & Ecology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact, Heavy metals in environment and Air Quality and Health Impacts, together about 28.7% of its articles. Its main subfields are Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis and Pollution. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Environmental Pollution is an international peer-reviewed journal that publishes high quality research papers and review articles about all aspects of pollution in the environment and its effects on ecosystems and human health. The journal welcomes high-quality process-oriented and hypothesis-driven submissions that report results from original and novel research and contribute new knowledge to help address problems related to environmental pollution at a regional or global scale.Subject areas include, but are not limited to:Sources and occurrences of pollutants that are clearly defined and measured in environmental compartments, food and food-related items, and human bodies; Interlinks between contaminant exposure and biological, ecological, and human health effects, including those of climate change;Contaminants of emerging and re-emerging concerns (including but not limited to pathogens, antibiotic resistant genes, PFAS, mercury, microplastics/nanoplastics, light, and noise) and/or their biological, ecological, or human health effects;Modelling of pollution processes, patterns, or trends that is of clear environmental and/or human health interest; Advanced technologies that measure and examine environmental occurrences, transport, behaviour, and effects of pollutants within the environment or the laboratory, provided that they can be clearly used to address problems within regional or global environmental compartments;Papers focusing on the following areas are likely to be returned to the authors without review:wastewater treatment technologies, materials for remediation, plant physiology, biochar, observational and similar analyses of human health;Routine surveys or monitoring programs primarily of local or regional interest;Descriptions of well-known contaminants, such as legacy pollutants, in yet another location;Studies relating to waste treatment that do not have specific relevance to pollution within the environment;Laboratory studies that do use environmentally relevant concentrations and that do not have empirical data or a thorough discussion in relation to environmental state-of-the-art knowledge;Studies of air pollution and health combining datasets susceptible to confounders i.e. case-control, cross-sectional and ecological studies;Synthesis/fabrication of new materials solely for remediation and/or mitigation of pollution without direct environmental relevance;Nitrogen or phosphorus deposition or biogeochemical processes with little or no relation to environmental consequences and/or climate change;Studies on eutrophication and secondary pollution by eutrophication without illuminating their governing mechanisms and factors;Studies within which the concentrations of toxicants used are higher than those that are typically found in an environmental pollution context. Authors of toxicology studies must justify the concentrations that they are using by reference to environmentally relevant concentrations that have been reported in the literature.Bibliometric reviews are no longer published in Environmental PollutionPlease DO NOT ask the Editors-in-Chief for permission before submitting a manuscript. Kindly check the guidelines to determine whether your manuscript is within the scope of the journal; if yes, please go ahead and submit it.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Environmental Sciences
Editor-in-chief Sarah HarmonPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 30 in mainland China (about 29%); most named Mainland China 30, United States 25, Brazil 7, Italy 4, United Kingdom 3 (102 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Toxic Organic Pollutants ImpactEnvironmental Science10%
- Heavy metals in environmentEnvironmental Science9.4%
- Air Quality and Health ImpactsEnvironmental Science9.3%
- Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Science7.5%
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosolsEarth and Planetary Sciences7.2%
- Environmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyEnvironmental Science7.1%
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental Science6%
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicalsEnvironmental Science4.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
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
- 7.2LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 7.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 15.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 15.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.02LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.39LetPub ·
- h-index
- 194LetPub ·
- h-index
- 387OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 22,440OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 7.77OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 19.27%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 1,724LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 29,434 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,448 | 424 | 733 |
| 2025 | 1,785 | 532 | 10,596 |
| 2024 | 2,116 | 665 | 30,222 |
| 2023 | 2,085 | 640 | 52,093 |
| 2022 | 2,031 | 578 | 71,716 |
| 2021 | 2,163 | 542 | 101,799 |
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
85 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 66 days – 119 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (197 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 88 days
- Sample
- 197 articles with submission and acceptance dates (4,232 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 2.8 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 97 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- 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 4,090 / EUR 3,830 / GBP 3,270 / JPY 507,280 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,120 | — | — |
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 prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted9, with length limits
- editorialMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…Length not stated
- full research paperMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…Length not stated
- letterMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…Length not stated
- meta-analysisMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…Length not stated
- research paperMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…main text ≤ 8,000 words
- reviewMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…Length not stated
- review articleMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…Length not stated
- short communicationlso served as the corresponding author. Short Communication: Short Communications should be items of no more than 3000 words in length and be of significant sci…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- systematic reviewMandatory Check for Submission (non-compliance may result in rejection)Corresponding author's e-mail must be institutional (both in manuscript and Editorial Man…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
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
- ELSEVIER
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1987
- ISSN
- 0269-7491
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-6424
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Environmental Pollution
What CAS zone is Environmental Pollution in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Environmental Pollution is in Zone 2 of Environmental Science & Ecology, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Environmental Sciences. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Environmental Science & Ecology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Environmental Pollution?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 7.2; CiteScore 15.1, h-index 387.
How long does peer review take at Environmental Pollution?
Based on the dates recorded on 197 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 85 days (interquartile range 66–119 days); authors report an average review time of about 2.8 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard”. 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 Environmental Pollution?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; Reference style: Author–date; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Required. 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 Environmental Pollution based?
Of the 102 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 30 (about 29%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (30), United States (25) and Brazil (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Environmental Pollution?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Environmental Pollution is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Environmental Pollution open access, and what is the APC?
Environmental Pollution is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,090.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; 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 2026-08-25). Last updated: .