Global Trends and Research Gaps in Pesticide Toxicology: A Scientometric Analysis Using Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

This scientometric review mapped research on pesticide toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio), focusing on the most relevant scientific publications in the field. The search was conducted on the Web of Science platform using the keywords “TS (Topic Search) = (“Danio rerio” OR “zebrafish”) AND (“pesticides” OR “herbicides” OR “fungicides”)”. After applying exclusion criteria, 159 articles (2004–2024) were analyzed, revealing a high citation index and growing impact of this research line, especially in the past two years (2021 and 2022). The most active countries include China, the USA, and Brazil, with significant international collaborations, highlighting the global importance of the topic. Co-citation analysis of sources revealed the influence of journals such as Chemosphere and Aquatic Toxicology as essential for advancing research. Furthermore, the results indicate that zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been established as a key model for studying the toxicological effects of pesticides, particularly during early developmental stages, contributing to environmental risk assessment. The study also highlighted interdisciplinarity and the use of classical methodologies, such as the Bradford Protein Assay, in modern contexts. Finally, research trends were observed, emphasizing oxidative stress parameters, cardiotoxicity, and neurotoxicity, as well as gaps related to long-term pesticide exposure and underlying molecular mechanisms.