Dr. David Contreras Pérez research focuses on advanced oxidation processes, photocatalysis, and the Fenton reaction, with a particular emphasis on the detection of radicals and reactive oxygen species using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. He has contributed to major research initiatives, including work at the "Solar Energy Research Center (SERC-Chile)", and the project "Innovation in greywater treatment for eco-irrigation: a photocatalytic reactor with ion exchange for recycling greywater intended for use in urban horticulture and sustainable landscaping".

Dr. Contreras has published extensively in high-impact scientific journals, with his work accumulating over 3,700 citations and an h-index of 33. His contributions have earned him recognition such as the Best Paper Award (2016) from Environmental Science and Technology and the title of “Young Researcher of the Year” (2020) by the Faculty of Chemical Sciences.