A　variety　of　researches　have　been　proposed　to　address　commercial　prospect　of　emerging　technologies,　as　it　has　become　one　of　the　research　hotspots.　Through　an　extensive　literature　review,　this　paper　presents　a　method　based　on　bibliometrics　for　the　investigation　of　commercial　prospects　of　emerging　technologies.　Then,　the　intelligent　control　in　municipal　wastewater　treatment　system　is　used　as　a　case　study.　The　analytical　results　show　that　the　proposed　method　could　be　an　appropriate　tool　to　study　the　commercial　prospect　of　emerging　technologies.　©2009　IEEE.