Journal profile · Engineering, Environmental
Journal of Hazardous Materials
ISSN 0304-3894 · eISSN 1873-3336 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Semimonthly · Founded 1975
Journal of Hazardous Materials: CAS Zone 1 · Environmental Science & Ecology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 10.58; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,340; median 97 days to acceptance (192 articles, last 24 months); 3,946 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Hazardous Materials is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal, Microplastics and Plastic Pollution and Advanced oxidation water treatment, together about 22.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Pollution. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Hazardous Materials is an international forum that advances world class research by publishing articles in the areas of Environmental Science and Engineering. We publish full-length research papers, review articles, and perspectives that improve our understanding of the hazards and risks that certain materials pose to public health and the environment. Authors are supposed to address two questions in their manuscripts: 1) is the studied subject an environmental contaminant? and 2) is the study conducted under an environmentally relevant condition?"Environmental contaminants" exclude the compounds that do not exert hazardous effects on the environment or humans via contamination. Of note, difference between wastes and hazardous materials needs to be spotlighted to further clarify the JHM scope. The journal is highly interested in specific compounds or microbial agents with environmentally hazardous effects."Environmentally relevant conditions" typically require an experiment or modeling study to be conducted with the consideration of environmental factors, such as temperature, pH, environmental matrix constituents, and chemical doses for waste removal, within their respective realistic occurrence ranges. Particularly, we have noticed that studies on nanomaterials or emerging contaminants (e.g., sensing/detection, effects, and removal) in many manuscripts were performed with unrealistically high concentrations, which can be several orders of magnitude higher than their real occurrence ranges in an environmental medium.Environmental implications from such studies would be very limited. Although higher concentrations may exhibit a full spectrum of hazardous effects, a manuscript ought to embrace realistic level(s) of a hazardous material in the range of the studied concentrations.Examples of the topics that are outside the journal's scope can be found in this editorial: Refining the scope of Journal of Hazardous Materials
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Engineering, Environmental
Editorial board by country: 52 in mainland China (about 35%); most named Mainland China 52, United States 30, Australia 10, South Korea 9, Canada 6 (150 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removalEnvironmental Science7.7%
- Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Science7.2%
- Advanced oxidation water treatmentEnvironmental Science7.1%
- Advanced Photocatalysis TechniquesEnergy6.4%
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental Science6.4%
- Heavy metals in environmentEnvironmental Science5.9%
- Environmental remediation with nanomaterialsEngineering5.4%
- Toxic Organic Pollutants ImpactEnvironmental Science5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 1 |
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
- 10.58LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 10.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 20.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 20.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.62LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.8LetPub ·
- h-index
- 235LetPub ·
- h-index
- 430OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 32,313OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 10.64OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 10.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 12.74%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 3,805LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 43,633 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2,757 | 469 | 2,779 |
| 2025 | 3,946 | 674 | 33,053 |
| 2024 | 3,654 | 660 | 74,373 |
| 2023 | 2,606 | 497 | 93,612 |
| 2022 | 2,349 | 389 | 117,878 |
| 2021 | 3,034 | 481 | 212,833 |
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
97 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 74 days – 120 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 2 days (192 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 99 days
- Sample
- 192 articles with submission and acceptance dates (8,321 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 3.1 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 73%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 37 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 91 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 4,340 / EUR 3,960 / GBP 3,470 / JPY 512,030 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,710 | — | — |
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
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted12
- editorialFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- full-length research papersFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome.Length not stated
- letterFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- letter to the editorFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- opinionFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- perspectiveFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- perspectivesPerspectives allow experienced researchers the opportunity to provide their view, opinions, and outlook on selected subjects.Length not stated
- research paperFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- reviewFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- review articleFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- short communicationFull-length research papers within the above stated Aims and Scope are welcome. Such contributions are not to be submitted in two parts (i.e. Part I and Part II…Length not stated
- virtual special issueVirtual Special Issue - If you would like to propose a virtual special issue, please contact the managing editor via email:hazmat@elsevier.com.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, 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 ·- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
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 sharing Model summary
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
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1975
- ISSN
- 0304-3894
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-3336
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Hazardous Materials
What CAS zone is Journal of Hazardous Materials in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Hazardous Materials is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Engineering, Environmental / Environmental Sciences; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Environmental Science & Ecology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Hazardous Materials?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 10.58; CiteScore 20.8, h-index 430.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Hazardous Materials?
Based on the dates recorded on 192 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 97 days (interquartile range 74–120 days); authors report an average review time of about 3.1 months. 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 Journal of Hazardous Materials?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; 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 Journal of Hazardous Materials based?
Of the 150 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 52 (about 35%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (52), United States (30) and Australia (10). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Hazardous Materials?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Hazardous Materials is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Journal of Hazardous Materials open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Hazardous Materials is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,340.
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 2026-08-26). Last updated: .