Journal decision profile

Water Research

Environmental Science

Water Research's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 12.5, ranking Q1 in Pollution and 2 other subfields. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

Elsevier BVUnited KingdompISSN 0043-1354eISSN 1879-2448
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Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
12.5

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 14.14.

Review & acceptance time
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Review & acceptance timeCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED
90 daysmedian

Middle 50%: 63–112 days

100 of 100 PubMed-indexed articles · 100% coverage · 2024–2025

Water Research accepts papers a median of 90 days after submission, including peer review and revisions. That is faster than 82% of comparable journals with PubMed timing data.

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
$4,350

Journal-level estimate only. Verify current charges, taxes, waivers, discounts, and article-type fees with the journal.

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At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iSubmission-to-acceptanceCalendar days from the received date to the accepted date in recent PubMed records. This includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not the time to first decision and not pure peer-review time. The radar uses a 0–100 cohort percentile with shorter observed timing plotted farther out; it does not measure review quality.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
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Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
12.52026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
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Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#7 / 893LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
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Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
52.2%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
2.79MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
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Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
90 daysIQR 63–112 DAYS
Recent output
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Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
1396 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share52.2%

2916 of 5,582 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share6.5%

364 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI2.79×

Above field-year expectation

Source output rank#7

of 893 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 2.79, so its typical recent paper runs about 179% above its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

52.2% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2016–2025

9032016
11642017
8932018
10542019
12052020
10662021
13402022
13712023
18052024
20222025

Recent work-type mix

5,582 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Article97.1%
Paratext1.5%
Erratum0.8%
Review0.4%
Letter0.2%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and medical subject coverage

OpenAlex topics show research communities; MeSH keeps the medical taxonomy recognizable.

Major MeSH signals

PubMed-indexed works

Select a MeSH signal to see how much Water Research publishes on it, from PubMed counts for the last five complete years.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
Wastewater Treatment and Nitrogen Removal446
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution365
Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts347
Water Treatment and Disinfection320
Advanced oxidation water treatment317
Membrane Separation Technologies295
Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics185
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research160
Marine and coastal ecosystems159
Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation137
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-08-12. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 5,582 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
PollutionQ1
Health, Toxicology and MutagenesisQ1
Water Science and TechnologyQ1
Q1
Subfield Quartile
B1
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#29
of 2,727 Environmental Science field journals
#29
among Q1 Environmental Science journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
31,692
H-Index
459
Fully Open Access
No
Recent OA Works
4,691
Subject Areas
PollutionHealth, Toxicology and MutagenesisWater Science and Technology

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

Common questions about Water Research

What is Water Research's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

Water Research's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 12.5, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What quartile is Water Research in?

Water Research's best quartile is Q1. By OpenAlex subfield: Q1 in Pollution; Q1 in Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis; Q1 in Water Science and Technology. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for Water Research will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

How long does Water Research take to accept a paper?

Water Research accepts papers a median of 90 days after submission across 100 recent PubMed records with both dates; the middle half took 63–112 days. This includes peer review, editorial handling, and revisions.

How long is the peer review time at Water Research?

PubMed records when a manuscript was received and accepted, not the individual review stages, so peer review time on its own is not available. The full time from submission to acceptance at Water Research, which includes peer review and revisions, has a median of 90 days. For the time to a first decision, check the journal's own website.

Is Water Research faster than similar journals?

Water Research's median of 90 days from submission to acceptance is faster than 82% of comparable journals with PubMed timing data.

How much does it cost to publish in Water Research?

OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $4,350 USD for Water Research. This journal-level estimate may exclude taxes, waivers, discounts, or article-type fees, so confirm the current charge on the journal's website.

Which journals are alternatives to Water Research?

Comparable journals include Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, Acs Es&t Water, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, and Journal of Hazardous Materials. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

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