Desulfurization　wastewater　in　coal-fired　power　plants　(CFPPs)　is　a　great　environmental　challenge.　This　study　aimed　at　the　current　status　and　future　research　trends　of　desulfurization　wastewater　by　bibliometric　analysis.　The　desulfurization　wastewater　featured　with　high　sulfate　(8000　mg/L),　chlorite　(8505　mg/L),　magnesium　(2882　mg/L)　and　calcium　(969　mg/L)　but　low　sodium　(801.82　mg/L),　and　the　concentrations　of　the　main　contaminants　were　critically　summarized.　There　was　an　increasing　trend　in　the　annual　publications　of　desulfurization　wastewater　in　the　period　from　1991　to　2021,　with　an　average　growth　rate　of　15%.　Water　Science　and　Technology,　Desalination　and　Water　Treatment,　Energy　&　Fuels,　Chemosphere,　and　Journal　of　Hazardous　Materials　are　the　top　5　journals　in　this　field.　China　was　the　most　productive　country　(58.3%　of　global　output)　and　the　core　country　in　the　international　cooperation　network.　Wordcloud　analysis　and　keyword　topic　trend　demonstrated　that　removal/treatment　of　pollutants　dominated　the　global　research　in　the　field　of　desulfurization　wastewater.　The　primary　technologies　for　desulfurization　wastewater　treatment　were　systematically　evaluated.　The　physicochemical　treatment　technologies　occupied　half　of　the　total　treatment　methods,　while　membrane-based　integrated　processes　showed　potential　applications　for　beneficial　reuse.　The　challenges　and　outlook　on　desulfurization　wastewater　treatment　for　achieving　zero　liquid　discharge　are　summarized.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd