Mansi Mistry, Vimalkumar Prajapati, Bharatkumar Z. Dholakiya
This study presents a focused scientometric review specifically on use of lipase enzyme in the transesterification of vegetable oils (LTVO) for biodiesel production. Unlike prior reviews, it uniquely maps the research field’s growth, trends, and collaborations. 702 Scopus-indexed research articles of LTVO research were analysed using tools like Bibliometrix in R Studio and VOSviewer. The analysis revealed a sustained growth in LTVO research, particularly after 2010, with Bioresource Technology identified as the leading publication source. China emerged as the most productive country, while strong research contributions were also observed from Brazil, India, Spain, and Thailand. The analysis also identified the major contributors, influential publications, and knowledge structures shaping the LTVO research. The scientometric findings indicate that research has progressed from fundamental enzymatic transesterification studies towards catalyst optimization, immobilized lipase systems, and process development for biodiesel production. Current challenges, including enzyme cost, operational stability, and industrial scalability, remain barriers to large-scale implementation. Future research should focus on enzyme engineering, advanced immobilization strategies, hybrid catalytic systems, and process intensification to improve the commercial viability of lipase-based biodiesel production. Although this review offers a systematic overview of LTVO research, its findings should be interpreted within the scope of the Scopus-indexed English-language literature and the inherent limitations of scientometric methods.