Journal profile · Marine & Freshwater Biology
Marine Pollution Bulletin
ISSN 0025-326X · eISSN 1879-3363 · Elsevier Inc. · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 1970
Marine Pollution Bulletin: CAS Zone 2 · Earth Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.92; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,740; median 102 days to acceptance (100 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 75%; 1,544 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Marine Pollution Bulletin is published by Elsevier Inc. and is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Microplastics and Plastic Pollution, Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology and Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact, together about 25% of its articles. Its main subfields are Pollution and Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Marine Pollution Bulletin is concerned with the rational use of maritime and marine resources in estuaries, the seas and oceans, as well as with documenting marine pollution and introducing new forms of measurement and analysis. A wide range of topics are discussed not only on effluent disposal and pollution control, but also on the management, economic aspects and protection of the marine environment in general.Papers published may include, but are not limited to:Marine debris and litter study and managementOil spills and their ecological impactsChemical pollution (including inorganic and organic contaminants, e.g., heavy metals, Persistent Organic Pollutants) in marine environmentsMicroplastics and their effectsPollution from shipping and maritime activitiesEutrophication and its consequences on marine ecosystemsHarmful algal blooms (HABs) and their impactsAcidification of oceans due to carbon dioxide absorptionNoise pollution in marine environments and its effects on marine lifePollution from coastal development and runoffRadioactive contamination in marine environmentsEmerging pollutants and their effects on marine ecosystemsPollution from aquaculture and mariculture operationsGlobal initiatives and policies for mitigating marine pollutionUsing artificial intelligence to assess marine environmental conditions and/or to provide policy decisions.A distinctive feature of Marine Pollution Bulletin is the number of different categories of articles which are published: 1. Research Papers form the core of the journal, with a typical length of 6000 words and a maximum of 10000 words. 2. Reviews are between 8000 and 20000 words, on topics cross traditional lines. 3. Short Communications are short research papers, with a typical length of 3000 words, and a maximum of 5000 words, 3 Figures or Tables. 4. Baseline Papers are less than 5000 words, contain an abstract and keywords, brief introductory remarks, methodology with mandatory quality assurance and quality control information, results and short discussion but do not have sections or subsections. These papers are baselines related with marine pollution (including toxicant levels; ecological and ecotoxicological data) and must bring original data and information to support a better understanding of marine environmental issues. 5. Micro Articles are very short papers, less than 3000 words or 2 pages. They must consist of a single, but well-described piece of information, namely: • Original Data and/or a plot plus a description • Description of a new method, experiment or instrumentation •Descriptive case study 6. Perspective papers discuss about subjective positions, viewpoints or new concepts within less than 2000 words.Marine Pollution Bulletin does not publish articles that present only model development or processes in water treatment plants.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Marine & Freshwater Biology
Editor-in-chief Gui-Peng YangPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 8 in mainland China (about 20%); most named Mainland China 8, United Kingdom 6, United States 5, Hong Kong, China 2, India 2 (40 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Science10.7%
- Environmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyEnvironmental Science7.2%
- Toxic Organic Pollutants ImpactEnvironmental Science7.2%
- Heavy metals in environmentEnvironmental Science7%
- Mercury impact and mitigation studiesEnvironmental Science5.8%
- Marine and coastal ecosystemsEarth and Planetary Sciences5.2%
- Marine Biology and Ecology ResearchEarth and Planetary Sciences5.2%
- Recycling and Waste Management TechniquesEnvironmental Science4.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Marine & Freshwater Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Oceanography | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Marine & Freshwater Biology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Oceanography | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Environmental Science & Ecology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Environmental Science & Ecology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Marine & Freshwater Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Oceanography | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Sciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview 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
- 4.92LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 4.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 9.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 9.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.47LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.13LetPub ·
- h-index
- 147LetPub ·
- h-index
- 303OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 15,082OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 5.46OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 14.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 28.26%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 1,469LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 28,323 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,146 | 460 | 673 |
| 2025 | 1,544 | 594 | 7,088 |
| 2024 | 1,416 | 506 | 14,654 |
| 2023 | 1,333 | 498 | 23,125 |
| 2022 | 1,146 | 365 | 27,649 |
| 2021 | 1,209 | 410 | 39,455 |
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
102 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 70 days – 155 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 8 days (100 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 110 days
- Sample
- 100 articles with submission and acceptance dates (3,210 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)
- 75%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 41 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 89 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 8 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 3,740 / EUR 3,500 / GBP 2,990 / JPY 463,870 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,660 | — | — |
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)
Open calls for papers8, by deadline
- Negative Results in OceanographyDeadline
- Ocean Decade - Deep SeaDeadline
- Ocean Decade- Sustainable Marine Pollution and Ocean HealthDeadline
- Ocean Decade: Conservation, Biodiversity, and management of fisheriesDeadline
- Protecting Marine Biodiversity in the Pelagos Sanctuary: Scientific Progress and multilateral Policy InnovationDeadline
- Smart Protection of Fishery Ecosystems and Emerging Contaminant Risks in Marine EnvironmentsDeadline
- The Mediterranean Sea as a model system for studying micro- and nanoplastic dynamics, toxicity and dispersal of associated chemical and biological contaminants across ecosystems interfacesDeadline
- Marine Environmental Science in East Asian Seas: Pollution, Ecotoxicology, Ecosystem Health, and Sustainability (ICMPE-11 & YES-2026)Deadline
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 10,000 words
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted5, with length limits
- perspectiveA distinctive feature of Marine Pollution Bulletin is the number of different types of paper which are published. 1. Research Papers form the core of the journa…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- research paperA distinctive feature of Marine Pollution Bulletin is the number of different types of paper which are published. 1. Research Papers form the core of the journa…main text ≤ 6,000 words
- reviewA distinctive feature of Marine Pollution Bulletin is the number of different types of paper which are published. 1. Research Papers form the core of the journa…main text ≤ 20,000 words
- short communicationA distinctive feature of Marine Pollution Bulletin is the number of different types of paper which are published. 1. Research Papers form the core of the journa…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- viewpointA distinctive feature of Marine Pollution Bulletin is the number of different types of paper which are published. 1. Research Papers form the core of the journa…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, 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
1 to 7 keywords required, in English. Model summary
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 ·- Data availability
Data availability statement required at submission. Model summary
You are required to state the availability of any data at submission.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Authors must follow Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy. 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
Open access options available; see open access information page. Model summary
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 one reviewer 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.Rea…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed; does not count as prior publication. 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 Inc.
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1970
- ISSN
- 0025-326X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1879-3363
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Marine Pollution Bulletin
What CAS zone is Marine Pollution Bulletin in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Marine Pollution Bulletin is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Environmental Sciences / Marine & Freshwater Biology / Oceanography. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Marine Pollution Bulletin?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.92; CiteScore 9.7, h-index 303.
How long does peer review take at Marine Pollution Bulletin?
Based on the dates recorded on 100 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 102 days (interquartile range 70–155 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 75%”. 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 Marine Pollution Bulletin?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 10,000 words; Suggested reviewers: Optional; 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 Marine Pollution Bulletin based?
Of the 40 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 8 (about 20%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (8), United Kingdom (6) and United States (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Marine Pollution Bulletin?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Marine Pollution Bulletin is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Marine Pollution Bulletin open access, and what is the APC?
Marine Pollution Bulletin is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,740.
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: .