Maria Lessa Belone

Maria Lessa Belone is a Staff Scientist in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences with a highly specialized research profile focused on microplastics analysis in wastewater treatment systems. Her work bridges environmental engineering, chemical engineering, and polymer science to address critical pollution challenges.

Her research interests include:

• Microplastics behavior in anaerobic digestion systems
• Polymer degradation in sewage treatment
• Advanced analytical techniques for microplastic identification
• Optimization of sludge treatment processes

Analysis of her publication record from 2022-2025 reveals a consistent focus on how different anaerobic digestion conditions affect various plastic polymers in sewage sludge. Her methodological expertise spans Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, SEM imaging, and synchrotron X-ray techniques. While primarily focused on environmental applications, she has also contributed to materials science research on composite material characterization.

Her scientific impact is evident through citation metrics, with several papers accumulating significant attention in the research community. The paper 'Effects of mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion...' has garnered 25 Scopus citations, while 'Optimised reduction of total solids...' has received 18 citations, indicating substantial influence in her field.

Dr. Belone maintains active research collaborations, particularly with E. Yli-Rantala, E. Sarlin, and M. Kokko, suggesting well-established partnerships. Her work directly contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), addressing critical environmental challenges through scientific investigation.