Every month, journals around the world retract research papers due to issues such as data manipulation, plagiarism, image duplication, unreliable results, ethical concerns, and authorship disputes.
39 research papers were retracted in September 2026 from major publishers including Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, the American Chemical Society, PLOS, MDPI, and Oxford University Press.
We analyzed these 39 retraction-related notices as we do every month.
The records span 34 countries, with India and China appearing most frequently.
Key findings at a glance
| Finding | Number |
|---|---|
| Retractions | 39 |
| Elsevier journals | 19 |
| Springer Nature journals | 7 |
| Most frequent country: India | 13 records |
| Second: China | 11 records |
| Third: Saudi Arabia | 8 records |
| Most common database reason tag | Investigation by journal/publisher |
Which journals had the most retractions?
The journal Science of the Total Environment had the highest number of retractions in September 2026, followed by Environmental Research, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, European Journal of Soil Biology, and then others.
Why were these papers retracted?
- Unreliable results and conclusions
- Journal or publisher investigations
- Image-related problems
- Plagiarism and duplication
- Authorship, affiliations, and conflicts of interest
Top countries represented in the 39 records
| Country | Records |
|---|---|
| India | 13 |
| China | 11 |