Air pollution and environmental epidemiological evidence in Chile: alerts for decision-makers and citizens.

Air pollution in Chile presents unique challenges, exacerbated by inequalities and geographical and climatic diversity. Current policies have not succeeded in aligning air quality with international and national standards, nor have they significantly mitigated public health impacts, despite being more advanced than those in other Latin American countries. The evidence on the health damages caused by air pollution is compelling, showing harmful acute and chronic effects across various life stages. Yet, current measures do not effectively reduce exposure to pollutants. The monitoring network, which reports data from stationary and mobile sources, does not always detect early fugitive emissions and is limited to regulated pollutants, leaving areas without adequate monitoring coverage and without management plans for critical episodes outside of autumn and winter and for a reduced number of pollutants. In the context of climate change, which increases the frequency of forest fires, Chile is experiencing a deterioration of air quality, highlighting the need to expand critical episode management beyond the current Air Pollution Prevention and/or Atmospheric Decontamination Plans. Integrated intersectoral plans need to be improved and extended to address the high exposure to pollutants, due to the large number of people exposed, and a broad population health risks, including quality of life. Decarbonisation by 2040 based on the Sustainable Development Goals is an important pillar of the strategy, but a public debate is needed to establish additional actions for addressing environmental injustice, improving equity and reducing current exposure to air pollutants.

Toward sustainability and resilience in Chilean cities: Lessons and recommendations for air, water, and soil issues.

Achieving sustainability and resilience depends on the conciliation of environmental, social, and economic issues integrated into a long-term perspective to ensure communities flourish. Many nations are transitioning toward both objectives, while at the same time addressing structural concerns that have not allowed them to look after the environment in the past. Chile is one of these nations dealing with such challenges within a particular administrative context, an increasing environmental awareness, and a set of unique and complex geophysical boundaries that impose a plethora of hazards for cities, ecosystems, and human health. This paper presents recent accomplishments and gaps, mostly from an environmental perspective, on issues related to air pollution, the urban water cycle, and soil contamination, in the path being followed by Chile toward urban sustainability and resilience. The focus is on the bonds between cities and their geophysical context, as well as the relationships between environmental issues, the built environment, and public health. The description and diagnosis are illustrated using two cities as case studies, Temuco and Copiapó, whose socioeconomic, geographical, and environmental attributes differ considerably. Particulate matter pollution produced by the residential sector, drinking water availability, wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and soil contamination from the mining industry are discussed for these cities. Overall, the case studies highlight how tackling these issues requires coordinated actions in multiple areas, including regulatory, information, and financial incentive measures. Finally, the policy analysis discusses frameworks and opportunities for Chilean cities, which may be of interest when conceiving transitional paths toward sustainability and resilience for other cities elsewhere.

Perchlorate and chlorate assessment in drinking water in northern Chilean cities.

Perchlorate and chlorate are endocrine disruptors considered emerging contaminants (ECs). Both oxyanions are commonly associated with anthropogenic contamination from fertilizers, pesticides, explosives, and disinfection byproducts. However, the soils of the Atacama Desert are the most extensive natural reservoirs of perchlorate in the world, compromising drinking water sources in northern Chile. Field campaigns were carried (2014-2018) to assess the presence of these ECs in the water supply networks of twelve Chilean cities. Additionally, the occurrence of perchlorate, chlorate and other anions typically observed in drinking water matrices of the Atacama Desert (i.e., nitrate, chloride, sulfate) was evaluated using a Spearman correlation analysis to determine predictors for perchlorate and chlorate. High concentrations of perchlorate (up to 114.48 µg L-1) and chlorate (up to 9650 µg L-1) were found in three northern cities. Spatial heterogeneities were observed in the physicochemical properties and anion concentrations of the water supply network. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that nitrate, chloride, and sulfate were not useful predictors for the presence of perchlorate and chlorate in drinking water in Chile. Hence, this study highlights the need to establish systematic monitoring, regulation, and treatment for these EC of drinking water sources in northern Chilean cities for public health protection.

Changes in preterm birth and stillbirth during COVID-19 lockdowns in 26 countries.

Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide. Changes in PTB rates, ranging from -90% to +30%, were reported in many countries following early COVID-19 pandemic response measures ('lockdowns'). It is unclear whether this variation reflects real differences in lockdown impacts, or perhaps differences in stillbirth rates and/or study designs. Here we present interrupted time series and meta-analyses using harmonized data from 52 million births in 26 countries, 18 of which had representative population-based data, with overall PTB rates ranging from 6% to 12% and stillbirth ranging from 2.5 to 10.5 per 1,000 births. We show small reductions in PTB in the first (odds ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.95-0.98, P value <0.0001), second (0.96, 0.92-0.99, 0.03) and third (0.97, 0.94-1.00, 0.09) months of lockdown, but not in the fourth month of lockdown (0.99, 0.96-1.01, 0.34), although there were some between-country differences after the first month. For high-income countries in this study, we did not observe an association between lockdown and stillbirths in the second (1.00, 0.88-1.14, 0.98), third (0.99, 0.88-1.12, 0.89) and fourth (1.01, 0.87-1.18, 0.86) months of lockdown, although we have imprecise estimates due to stillbirths being a relatively rare event. We did, however, find evidence of increased risk of stillbirth in the first month of lockdown in high-income countries (1.14, 1.02-1.29, 0.02) and, in Brazil, we found evidence for an association between lockdown and stillbirth in the second (1.09, 1.03-1.15, 0.002), third (1.10, 1.03-1.17, 0.003) and fourth (1.12, 1.05-1.19, <0.001) months of lockdown. With an estimated 14.8 million PTB annually worldwide, the modest reductions observed during early pandemic lockdowns translate into large numbers of PTB averted globally and warrant further research into causal pathways.

A Call for Biomonitoring Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: Considerations for Potentially Toxic Metals/Metalloids.

The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region makes up 8.4% of the world's population. Human biomonitoring (HBM) programs, which can shed light on population-level exposure to environmental contaminants such as toxic metals and thus, improve the health of the populations are inexistent in LAC countries. We call for the creation of HBM programs in the region and identify three viable design options for HBM at the individual level, through national surveys, newborn blood collection, and biobanks. We highlight some of challenges to the implementation of HBM programs, including financial and human resources, technical constrains (laboratory), sample, and data logistics. Finally, we provide the case studies of Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, to illustrate a range of responses to toxic metal exposure in non-occupational populations. Although different in many respects, the individual country responses share two commonalities: 1) academic centers drive the research to raise awareness of governmental entities; 2) reference levels are adapted from international norms rather than arising from the studied populations. Well-designed and sufficiently funded biomonitoring systems need to be established in each country of the LAC region. HBM programs are key to promoting human health by informing the public and contributing to policy processes that establish sustainable environmental controls and health prevention programs.

A New in Silico Antibody Similarity Measure Both Identifies Large Sets of Epitope Binders with Distinct CDRs and Accurately Predicts Off-Target Reactivity.

Developing a therapeutic antibody is a long, tedious, and expensive process. Many obstacles need to be overcome, such as biophysical properties (issues of solubility, stability, weak production yields, etc.), as well as cross-reactivity and subsequent toxicity, which are major issues. No in silico method exists today to solve such issues. We hypothesized that if we were able to properly measure the similarity between the CDRs of antibodies (Ab) by considering not only their evolutionary proximity (sequence identity) but also their structural features, we would be able to identify families of Ab recognizing similar epitopes. As a consequence, Ab within the family would share the property to recognize their targets, which would allow (i) to identify off-targets and forecast the cross-reactions, and (ii) to identify new Ab specific for a given target. Testing our method on 238D2, an antagonistic anti-CXCR4 nanobody, we were able to find new nanobodies against CXCR4 and to identify influenza hemagglutinin as an off-target of 238D2.

Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure in Latin American and the Caribbean Populations: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to pesticides is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, the literature on pesticide-related health effects in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region, an area of intensive agricultural and residential pesticide use, is sparse. We conducted a scoping review to describe the current state of research on the health effects of pesticide exposure in LAC populations with the goal of identifying knowledge gaps and research capacity building needs. METHODS: We searched PubMed and SciELO for epidemiological studies on pesticide exposure and human health in LAC populations published between January 2007 and December 2021. We identified 233 publications from 16 countries that met our inclusion criteria and grouped them by health outcome (genotoxicity, neurobehavioral outcomes, placental outcomes and teratogenicity, cancer, thyroid function, reproductive outcomes, birth outcomes and child growth, and others). RESULTS: Most published studies were conducted in Brazil (37%, n=88) and Mexico (20%, n=46), were cross-sectional in design (72%, n=167), and focused on farmworkers (45%, n=105) or children (21%, n=48). The most frequently studied health effects included genotoxicity (24%, n=62) and neurobehavioral outcomes (21%, n=54), and organophosphate (OP) pesticides were the most frequently examined (26%, n=81). Forty-seven percent (n=112) of the studies relied only on indirect pesticide exposure assessment methods. Exposure to OP pesticides, carbamates, or to multiple pesticide classes was consistently associated with markers of genotoxicity and adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, particularly among children and farmworkers. DISCUSSION: Our scoping review provides some evidence that exposure to pesticides may adversely impact the health of LAC populations, but methodological limitations and inconsistencies undermine the strength of the conclusions. It is critical to increase capacity building, integrate research initiatives, and conduct more rigorous epidemiological studies in the region to address these limitations, better inform public health surveillance systems, and maximize the impact of research on public policies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9934.

The Chilean Diet: Is It Sustainable?

Food systems are one of the main contributors to climate change. Sustainable diets are one strategy to mitigate climate change. Assessments and estimations at a national level are lacking, especially in the Global South, probably due to a lack of national surveys of food consumption and a limited interest in sustainable diets information. The objective of this study is to estimate and describe the carbon and water footprint of the Chilean population's diet in an overall estimation desegregated by region, age, sex, socioeconomic level and their main characterizations. This study is based on a secondary data analysis from the National Survey of Food Consumption made in 2010. The carbon and water footprint of the food subgroups/person/day were estimated. The results are compared by sex, age group, socioeconomic level, and macro zone. A carbon footprint of 4.67 kg CO2eq and a water footprint of 4177 L, both per person/day, were obtained. Animal-sourced foods, such as dairy and red meat, were responsible for 60.5% of the total carbon footprint and 52.6% of the water footprint. The highest values for both footprints were found in the following groups: men, adolescents, young adults, people with a higher socioeconomic level, and residents in the southern area of the country. The carbon footprint and water footprint values in Chile generated by food consumption would be above the world averages. Transforming the Chilean food system into a more sustainable one with changes in eating patterns is urgently required to attain this transformation.

Air Pollution and Cardiorespiratory Changes in Older Adults Living in a Polluted Area in Central Chile.

One recognized cause of cardiorespiratory diseases is air pollution. Older adults (OA) are one of the most vulnerable groups that suffer from its adverse effects. The objective of the study was to analyze the association between exposure to air pollution and changes in cardiorespiratory variables in OA. Observational prospective cohort study. Health questionnaires, blood pressure (BP) measurements, lung functions, respiratory symptoms, physical activity levels, and physical fitness in high and low exposure to air pollution were all methods used in evaluating OAs in communes with high contamination rates. Linear and logistic models were created to adjust for variables of interest. A total of 92 OA participated in this study. 73.9% of the subjects were women with 72.3 ± 5.6 years. 46.7% were obese, while 12.1% consumed tobacco. The most prevalent diseases found were hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Adjusted linear models maintained an increase for systolic BP of 6.77 mmHg (95% CI: 1.04-12.51), and diastolic of 3.51 mmHg (95% CI: 0.72-6.29), during the period of high exposure to air pollution. The adjusted logistic regression model indicated that, during the period of high exposure to air pollution increase the respiratory symptoms 4 times more (OR: 4.43, 95% CI: 2.07-10.04) in the OA. The results are consistent with an adverse effect on cardiorespiratory variables in periods of high exposure to air pollution in the OA population.

Socioeconomic, Clinical, and Molecular Features of Breast Cancer Influence Overall Survival of Latin American Women.

Molecular profile of breast cancer in Latin-American women was studied in five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay. Data about socioeconomic characteristics, risk factors, prognostic factors, and molecular subtypes were described, and the 60-month overall cumulative survival probabilities (OS) were estimated. From 2011 to 2013, 1,300 eligible Latin-American women 18 years or older, with a diagnosis of breast cancer in clinical stage II or III, and performance status ≦̸1 were invited to participate in a prospective cohort study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted, and clinical and outcome data, including death, were extracted from medical records. Unadjusted associations were evaluated by Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests and the OS by Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test was used to determine differences between cumulative probability curves. Multivariable adjustment was carried out by entering potential confounders in the Cox regression model. The OS at 60 months was 83.9%. Multivariable-adjusted death hazard differences were found for women living in Argentina (2.27), Chile (1.95), and Uruguay (2.42) compared with Mexican women, for older (≥60 years) (1.84) compared with younger (≤40 years) women, for basal-like subtype (5.8), luminal B (2.43), and HER2-enriched (2.52) compared with luminal A subtype, and for tumor clinical stages IIB (1.91), IIIA (3.54), and IIIB (3.94) compared with stage IIA women. OS was associated with country of residence, PAM50 intrinsic subtype, age, and tumor stage at diagnosis. While the latter is known to be influenced by access to care, including cancer screening, timely diagnosis and treatment, including access to more effective treatment protocols, it may also influence epigenetic changes that, potentially, impact molecular subtypes. Data derived from heretofore understudied populations with unique geographic ancestry and sociocultural experiences are critical to furthering our understanding of this complexity.

A preliminary study on aflatoxin exposure by urine biomonitoring in Chile.

We assessed the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in urine in a sample of the MAUCO population-based cohort (n = 120) using an enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) kit specially designed for the analysis of AFM1 in urine. We found AFM1 in the urine of 59% of the participants (> limit of detection), with 12% of the samples being over the limit of quantification. The mean of the quantifiable samples was 0.66 (± 0.35) ng/mg adjusted creatinine, ranging from 0.31 to 1.39 ng/mg creatinine. The mean probable daily intake (PDI) of AFB1 was 0.23 (± 0.37) ng/kg bw according to the upper bound (UB), being significantly higher in women and 0.14 (± 0.23) ng/kg bw in the modified lower bound (mLB) approach, ranging from 0.01 to 1.98 ng/kg bw. The risk of AFB1 was assessed with the margin of exposure (MOE) approach estimated at 2800 in the mean mLB and 1733 in the mean UB. According to the MOE values obtained in this study, aflatoxin B1 exposure must be considered a public health concern and must be taken as a priority for food risk management.

Isolation of Ciprofloxacin and Ceftazidime-Resistant Enterobacterales From Vegetables and River Water Is Strongly Associated With the Season and the Sample Type.

The dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) from water used for crop irrigation to vegetables is poorly studied. During a year, five farmer markets in a city in Central Chile were visited, and 478 vegetable samples (parsleys, corianders, celeries, lettuces, chards, and beets) were collected. Simultaneously, 32 water samples were collected from two rivers which are used to irrigate the vegetables produced in the area. Resistant Enterobacterales were isolated and identified. Colistin resistance gene mcr-1 and extended spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBL) were molecularly detected. The association of environmental factors was evaluated, with the outcomes being the presence of Enterobacterales resistant to four antibiotic families and the presence of multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. Parsley, coriander, and celery showed the highest prevalence of resistant Enterobacterales (41.9% for ciprofloxacin and 18.5% for ceftazidime). A total of 155 isolates were obtained, including Escherichia coli (n=109), Citrobacter sp. (n=20), Enterobacter cloacae complex (n=8), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=8), and Klebsiella aerogenes (n=1). Resistance to ampicillin (63.2%) and ciprofloxacin (74.2%) was most frequently found; 34.5% of the isolates showed resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, and the MDR phenotype represented 51.6% of the isolates. In two E. coli isolates (1.29%), the gene mcr-1 was found and ESBL genes were found in 23/62 isolates (37%), with bla CTX-M being the most frequently found in 20 isolates (32%). Resistant Enterobacterales isolated during the rainy season were less likely to be MDR as compared to the dry season. Understanding environmental associations represent the first step toward an improved understanding of the public health impact of ARB in vegetables and water.

Environmental Health Risk Perception: Adaptation of a Population-Based Questionnaire from Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Environmental risk assessments and interventions to mitigate environmental risks are essential to protect public health. While the objective measurement of environmental hazards is important, it is also critical to address the subjective perception of health risks. A population's perception of environmental health hazards is a powerful driving force for action and engagement in safety and health behaviors and can also inform the development of effective and more sustainable environmental health policies. To date, no instruments are available to assess risk perception of environmental health hazards in South America even though there are many concerning issues in the region, including mining. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to adapt and validate an environmental health risk perception questionnaire in a Chilean population affected by mining activity among other risks frequently reported in Latin American countries and included the collection of information on trust on public information sources. METHODS: We adapted an Australian risk perception questionnaire for validation in an adult population from a Chilean mining community. This adaptation included two blinded translations (direct, inverse), a pre-test study (n = 20) and a review by environmental health experts. Principal Component Analyses (PCA) was used to identify factors within major domains of interest. The Bartlett test of sphericity, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure and the Cronbach α test were used to assess the instrument's validity and reliability. The instrument was pilot tested in 205 adults from a mining community in Chañaral. RESULTS: The final adapted questionnaire proved to be a good instrument to measure risk perception in a community chronically exposed to mining waste. For community risks, four factors explained 59.4% of the variance. "Global Issues" (30.2%) included air pollution, contamination of mining, ozone layer depletion and vector diseases. For personal risks, the first two components explained 59.5% of the variance, the main factor (36.7%) was "unhealthy behaviors within the household". For trust in information, the first factor (36.2%) included as main sources "Media and authorities". The Cronbach α ranged between 0.68 and 0.75; and the KMO test between 0.7 to 0.79 for community and personal risks and trust. CONCLUSIONS: The final questionnaire is a simple, reliable and useful instrument that can assist in evaluating environmental health risk perceptions in Latin American countries.

Vulneración de derechos humanos en las movilizaciones de octubre de 2019 en Chile / Violation of human rights in the mobilizations of October 2019 in Chile

La revuelta popular de octubre de 2019 en Chile ha visibilizado nuevamente el tema de las vulneraciones de los derechos humanos en el contexto de movilizaciones masivas. En cuanto a daños en la salud de la población, se reportaron numerosas lesiones oculares por proyectiles de impacto cinético y uso de bombas lacrimógenas como proyectiles contra las personas, generando un brote de lesiones oculares inédito en el mundo. Existió un uso excesivo de armas químicas y no se han comunicado todos los químicos utilizados. El impacto en salud mental, sobre todo de la población que vivió en dictadura en los años 1970, es incierto, y la atención de salud se vio desbordada en las áreas geográficas más vulnerables. Es urgente establecer un sistema oportuno y transparente de vigilancia de este tipo de lesiones y conocer todos los compuestos químicos usados como lacrimógenos, así como la composición de los balines y los proyectiles. (AU)

Chile's October 2019 popular revolt has again made human rights violations visible in the context of mass mobilizations. In terms of damage to the population's health, multiple eye injuries produced by kinetic impact projectiles and tear bombs against people were reported, leading to an outbreak of unpublished eye injuries worldwide. There was excessive use of chemical weapons, and the totality of the chemicals used has not been transparent. The impact on mental health, especially of the population who lived during dictatorship in the 1970s, is uncertain and, health care was overwhelmed in the most vulnerable geographic areas. It is urgent to establish a timely and transparent system for monitoring such lesions and transparent all chemical compounds in teartearing and the composition of kinetic impact projectiles. (AU)

Assessment of Mycotoxin Exposure in a Rural County of Chile by Urinary Biomarker Determination.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEN), and deoxynivalenol (DON) are frequent mycotoxins that may cause carcinogenic, mutagenic, estrogenic, or gastrointestinal effects. The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to and risk from AFB1, OTA, ZEN, and DON in 172 participants of the Maule Cohort (MAUCO) by a biomarker analysis in urine and to associate their exposure with food consumption and occupation. Mycotoxins in the first morning urine were analyzed by solid-phase extraction and quantified by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with a mass-mass detector. Participants' information regarding food consumption, occupation, and other characteristics was obtained from a baseline and 2-year follow-up survey of the cohort. The prevalence and mean levels of mycotoxins in the urine were as follows: DON 63%, 60.7 (±78.7) ng/mL; AFB1 8%, 0.3 (±0.3) ng/mL; α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) 4.1%, 41.8 (±115) ng/mL; ß-ZEL 3.5%, 17.4 (±16.1) ng/mL; AFM1 2%, 1.8 (±1.0) ng/mL; OTA 0.6% (1/172), 1.3 ng/mL; and ZEN 0.6%, 1.1 ng/mL. These results were translated into exposures of DON, ZEN, and aflatoxins of public health concern. Participants who consumed coffee and pepper the day before had a significantly greater presence of DON (OR: 2.3, CI95 1.17-4.96) and total ZEL (OR: 14.7, CI95 3.1-81.0), respectively, in their urine. Additionally, we observed associations between the habitual consumption of beer and DON (OR: 2.89, CI95 1.39-6.42). Regarding the levels of mycotoxins and the amount of food consumed, we found correlations between DON and nuts (p = 0.003), total ZEL and cereals (p = 0.01), and aflatoxins with capsicum powder (p = 0.03) and walnuts (p = 0.03). Occupation did not show an association with the presence of mycotoxins in urine.

Cell-free expression of the outer membrane protein OprF of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for vaccine purposes.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the second-leading cause of nosocomial infections and pneumonia in hospitals. Because of its extraordinary capacity for developing resistance to antibiotics, treating infections by Pseudomonas is becoming a challenge, lengthening hospital stays, and increasing medical costs and mortality. The outer membrane protein OprF is a well-conserved and immunogenic porin playing an important role in quorum sensing and in biofilm formation. Here, we used a bacterial cell-free expression system to reconstitute OprF under its native forms in liposomes and we demonstrated that the resulting OprF proteoliposomes can be used as a fully functional recombinant vaccine against P. aeruginosa Remarkably, we showed that our system promotes the folding of OprF into its active open oligomerized state as well as the formation of mega-pores. Our approach thus represents an easy and efficient way for producing bacterial membrane antigens exposing native epitopes for vaccine purposes.

Levels of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins/Furans (PCDD/Fs) and Dioxin-Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in Human Breast Milk in Chile: A Pilot Study.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that resist biochemical degradation, moving long distances across the atmosphere before deposition occurs. Our goal was to provide up-to-date data on the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in breast milk from Chilean women and to estimate the exposure of infants due to breast milk consumption. In Chile, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on methodologies proposed by the WHO, with a sample of 30 women recruited from three defined areas: 10 from the Arica Region (urban; Arica and Parinacota Region), 10 from Coltauco (rural; O'Higgins Region), and 10 from Molina (40% rural; Maule Region). High-resolution gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) was performed on pooled samples from each area. We calculated equivalent toxic concentrations (WHO-TEQ) based on the current WHO Toxic Equivalency Factors (TEF). The minimum and maximum values of ∑ PCDDs/Fs + DL-PCBs-TEQ were 4.317 pg TEQ/g fat in Coltauco and 6.31 pg TEQ/g fat in Arica. Molina had a total TEQ of 5.50 pg TEQ/g fat. The contribution of PCDD/Fs was approximately five-fold higher than that of DL-PCBs. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) of ∑ PCDDs/Fs + DL-PCBs based on the three pooled samples ranged between 6.71 and 26.28 pg TEQ/kg body weight (bw)/day, with a mean intake of 16.11 (±6.71) pg TEQ/kg bw/day in breastfed children from 0 to 24 months old. These levels were lower than those reported in international studies. Despite the fact that the observed levels were low compared to those in most industrialized countries, the detection of a variety of POPs in breast milk from Chilean women indicates the need for follow-up studies to determine whether such exposures during childhood could represent a health risk in adulthood.

[Violation of human rights in the mobilizations of October 2019 in Chile]. / Vulneración de derechos humanos en las movilizaciones de octubre de 2019 en Chile.

Chile's October 2019 popular revolt has again made human rights violations visible in the context of mass mobilizations. In terms of damage to the population's health, multiple eye injuries produced by kinetic impact projectiles and tear bombs against people were reported, leading to an outbreak of unpublished eye injuries worldwide. There was excessive use of chemical weapons, and the totality of the chemicals used has not been transparent. The impact on mental health, especially of the population who lived during dictatorship in the 1970s, is uncertain and, health care was overwhelmed in the most vulnerable geographic areas. It is urgent to establish a timely and transparent system for monitoring such lesions and transparent all chemical compounds in tear-tearing and the composition of kinetic impact projectiles.