Abstract:　Polycyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbons　(PAHs)　with　their　carcinogenic,　teratogenic,　and　mutagenic　effects　can　cause　great　damage　to　the　ecosystem　and　public　health　when　present　in　water.　With　bioremediation,　PAH　contamination　in　water　environment　can　be　greatly　reduced　in　an　eco-friendly　manner.　It　has　thus　become　the　research　focus　for　many　environmental　scientists.　In　this　study,　a　bibliometric　analysis　on　three-decade　(1990–2022)　development　of　PAH　bioremediation　in　water　environment　was　conducted　from　temporal　and　spatial　dimensions　using　CiteSpace.　A　total　of　2480　publications,　obtained　from　Web　of　Science　core　collection　database,　were　used　to　explore　the　basic　characteristics,　hotspots,　and　prospects　of　the　research　area.　The　results　showed　that　(1)　bioremediation/biodegradation　of　PAHs　in　water　environment　has　been　getting　researchers’　attention　since　1990,　and　is　gaining　even　more　traction　as　time　goes　on.　(2)　In　terms　of　countries,　China　and　the　USA　were　the　major　contributors　in　this　research　area,　while　at　the　institutional　level,　the　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences　has　produced　the　most　research　results.　However,　international　cooperation　across　regions　was　lacking　in　the　field.　(3)　Environment　Science　and　Technology,　Chemosphere,　Applied　and　Environment　Microbiology,　Journal　of　Hazardous　Materials,　and　Environment　Pollution　were　the　5　most　cited　journals　in　this　field.　(4)　There　were　three　major　stages　the　field　has　gone　through,　each　with　distinct　research　hotspots,　including　initial　stage　(1990–1994),　mechanism　investigation　(1995–2000),　and　application　exploration　(2001–2010;　2011–2022).　Finally,　research　perspectives　were　proposed,　covering　three　directions,　namely,　bioavailability,　immobilization,　and　viable　but　nonculturable　(VBNC)　bacteria.　Graphical　Abstract:　[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.].　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.