Journal of Contaminant Hydrology

Aims & Scope

The Journal of Contaminant Hydrology is an international journal publishing scientific articles pertaining to the contamination of subsurface water resources.

Emphasis is placed on investigations of the physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing the behavior and fate of organic and inorganic contaminants in the unsaturated (vadose) and saturated (groundwater) zones, as well as at groundwater-surface water interfaces.

The ecological impacts of contaminants transported both from and to aquifers are of interest.

Articles on contamination of surface water only, without a link to groundwater, are out of the scope.

Broad latitude is allowed in identifying contaminants of interest, and include legacy and emerging pollutants, nutrients, nanoparticles, pathogenic microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses, protozoa), microplastics, and various constituents associated with energy production (e.g., methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide).

The journal's scope embraces a wide range of topics including: experimental investigations of contaminant sorption, diffusion, transformation, volatilization and transport in the surface and subsurface; characterization of soil and aquifer properties only as they influence contaminant behavior; development and testing of mathematical models of contaminant behaviour; innovative techniques for restoration of contaminated sites; development of new tools or techniques for monitoring the extent of soil and groundwater contamination; transformation of contaminants in the hyporheic zone; effects of contaminants traversing the hyporheic zone on surface water and groundwater ecosystems; subsurface carbon sequestration and/or turnover; and migration of fluids associated with energy production into groundwater.

View Aims & Scope

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Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	4.4
2024	3.50

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	4186

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	1755

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	1.091

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

h-index

Year	Value
2024	115

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Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

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Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Environmental Science, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

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Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Statistical and graphical methods for evaluating solute transport models: Overview and application

  Citation: 1156

  Authors: Keith, Richard E.

• A review of immiscible fluids in the subsurface: Properties, models, characterization and remediation

  Citation: 549

  Authors: James W., Robert M.

• Storm water runoff concentration matrix for urban areas

  Citation: 487

  Authors: P., C., W.G.

• Review of pore network modelling of porous media: Experimental characterisations, network constructions and applications to reactive transport

  Citation: 480

  Authors: Qingrong, Todor G., Andrey P.

• Mixing, spreading and reaction in heterogeneous media: A brief review

  Citation: 446

  Authors: Marco, Tanguy, Andreas, Branko

• Treatment of inorganic contaminants using permeable reactive barriers

  Citation: 438

  Authors: David W, Carol J, Shawn G, Che W.T, Timothy A, Robert W

• A modified Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm model for simulating pH-dependent adsorption effects

  Citation: 434

  Authors: Gautham P., T. Prabhakar

• Characterization of redox conditions in groundwater contaminant plumes

  Citation: 399

  Authors: Thomas H, Poul L, Steven A, Rasmus, Gorm, Hans-Jørgen

• Stable isotope fractionation analysis as a tool to monitor biodegradation in contaminated acquifers

  Citation: 378

  Authors: Rainer U., Barbara, Christian, Hans H.

• Three-dimensional analysis of variably-saturated flow and solute transport in discretely-fractured porous media

  Citation: 351

  Authors: R., E.A.

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