The Chemistry of Inequality: Tracing Complex Contaminant Mixtures Across Chile

Описание: TFrom the hyper-arid Atacama Desert to sub-Antarctic Patagonia and including Antarctica, Chile’s contrasting landscapes reveal how industrial and urban activities generate unequal chemical exposures. This presentation examines the complexity of contaminant mixtures—metals, PAHs, and emerging pollutants—across mining- and combustion-impacted environments. Using targeted and non-targeted analytical approaches, the work identifies fingerprints and patterns in air, dust, and soils, linking them to local and regional emission sources and distinctive socioeconomic contexts. The findings illustrate how environmental chemistry can expose the hidden dimensions of inequality, connecting molecular data to environmental justice and contributing to sustainable development in Chile and other regions of the Global South.

Carlos A. Manzano is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chile and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at San Diego State University’s Graduate School of Public Health. His work examines how industrial and urban activities reshape the chemical landscape of Chile and other South American regions. By combining advanced analytical chemistry with concepts from exposome science, his research seeks to understand the mixture of metals, metalloids, persistent organic pollutants, and newly emerging contaminants like microplastics that affect vulnerable populations and ecosystems. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Oregon State University and pursued postdoctoral research at Environment and Climate Change Canada and the University of Chile’s Center for Environmental Science. His analytical expertise spans gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, multidimensional separations, and non-targeted analysis. At the University of Chile, he leads research that bridges environmental chemistry, human exposure assessment, and data-driven interpretation of complex contaminant mixtures. His group aims to connect environmental data with social and policy dimensions, promoting environmental justice and community engagement in regions of South America. His research contributes to a growing understanding of how chemical exposures intersect with health inequities, providing scientific evidence to inform sustainable transitions and risk-reduction strategies.