CARMEN MARIA GARCIA JARES

Dr. Carmen Maria Garcia Jares is a Professor in the Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology at the University of Santiago de Compostela's Faculty of Chemistry. She leads the LIDSA Research Group (Laboratory for Research and Development of Analytical Solutions) and is affiliated with the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies (CRETUS). Her doctoral thesis (1989) focused on Galician wines' chemical characterization under Professors Jesús Simal Lozano and María Asunción Lage Yusty.

Her research spans analytical chemistry methodologies, environmental pollutants, and natural product applications in cosmetics and food safety. Key areas include phytochemical analysis of plant extracts, bioactive compound extraction from agricultural byproducts (e.g., grape marc, apple pomace), and development of eco-friendly analytical techniques like matrix solid-phase dispersion. She also investigates toxicological effects of pollutants on ecosystems and human health, such as nanoplastics and PAHs.

Dr. Garcia Jares has pioneered studies on the use of natural additives in cosmetics, including henna/jagua tattoos, synthetic dye analysis, and compliance with EU regulations. Her work bridges environmental science, food chemistry, and biotechnology, emphasizing sustainability and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Recent research highlights include optimizing antioxidant extraction from blueberry residues, evaluating microalgae (Haematococcus pluvialis) for food coloring, and analyzing emerging pollutants in indoor environments. She has contributed to over 50 peer-reviewed articles and conference proceedings since 2011, focusing on cutting-edge analytical methods and their real-world applications.