Overview
Background
Professor Kevin Thomas is an internationally recognised environmental health scientist whose research over three decades has focused on a fundamental challenge: how can we identify, measure and understand the environmental exposures that matter for human and ecosystem health?
His research has pioneered new approaches to measuring environmental exposure, from environmental contaminants and complex mixtures to wastewater-based epidemiology, plastics and human health. He pioneered wastewater-based epidemiology as a population-level approach to monitoring community health and behaviour, and has advanced the measurement of micro- and nanoplastics, plastic-associated chemicals, PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern.
A central focus of his research is making previously invisible exposures measurable. He combines high-resolution mass spectrometry, non-target analysis and advanced approaches to chemical and polymer characterisation to identify and quantify known and previously unrecognised exposures across environmental, population and human matrices.
His current research focuses on the human chemical and particulate exposome—integrating measurements of chemicals, plastics and other environmental stressors with exposure and health data to understand how complex mixtures of environmental exposures affect human health.
Professor Thomas is Director of the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS) at The University of Queensland and Director of the Minderoo Centre for Plastics and Human Health. He is also Deputy Director and Queensland Node Leader of the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (HyTech), and is affiliated with the ARC Training Centre for Bioplastics and Biocomposites and the Centre for Marine Science.
His research programme spans four interconnected areas:
Plastics and human health. Developing analytical approaches to identify and quantify micro- and nanoplastics and associated chemicals in environmental and human matrices, and to understand human exposure and potential health effects.
Emerging contaminants and exposomics. Developing high-resolution mass spectrometric and non-target approaches to identify known and previously unknown chemical exposures, including PFAS and other persistent and mobile contaminants.
Wastewater-based epidemiology. Using wastewater as a population-level biological sample to monitor community health, drug and tobacco use, emerging chemical threats and other indicators of population behaviour and health.
Antimicrobial resistance and environmental health. Identifying chemical and biological drivers of antimicrobial resistance in environmental mixtures, and developing approaches to understand their sources, exposure pathways and risks.
Professor Thomas has authored more than 400 pper-reviewed publications and has supervised researchers across environmental chemistry, analytical science, wastewater epidemiology, plastics and human exposure. His research brings together analytical science, environmental health and population-level measurement, with extensive collaboration across government, industry and international research organisations.
Across his research, a consistent focus has been making previously invisible environmental exposures measurable. This has taken his work from known contaminants to complex mixtures, population-level measurements and, increasingly, the chemical and particulate exposome of humans.
Availability
- Professor Kevin Thomas is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Plymouth University
- Doctoral Diploma of Science (Advanced), Plymouth University
Works
Search Professor Kevin Thomas’s works on UQ eSpace
2026
Journal Article
Assessment of tyre wear particles, tyre associated chemicals and microplastics in the Moreton Bay catchment
Kaur, Simran, Rauert, Cassandra, Thomas, Kevin V., Livsey, Daniel, Braun, Christoph, Baddiley, Brenda and Vardy, Suzanne (2026). Assessment of tyre wear particles, tyre associated chemicals and microplastics in the Moreton Bay catchment. Journal of Hazardous Materials: Plastics 100081, 100081. doi: 10.1016/j.hazmp.2026.100081
2026
Journal Article
Domestic dog exposure to glyphosate in Australia
Liu, Sixu Ophelia, Campbell, Garth, Kanemitsu, Kaori, Thomas, Kevin and Kaserzon, Sarit L. (2026). Domestic dog exposure to glyphosate in Australia. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 45 (9), 2558-2569. doi: 10.1093/etojnl/vgag142
2026
Journal Article
Release of nanoplastic and microplastic from polyethylene and polylactic acid lined single use paper cups
Shi, Ke, Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2026). Release of nanoplastic and microplastic from polyethylene and polylactic acid lined single use paper cups. ACS Food Science and Technology. doi: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.6c00541
2026
Journal Article
PFAS Prophet: Prioritising Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Using Mass and MS/MS Spectra
Thomas, Kevin, O'Brien, Jake, Dewapriya, Pradeep, Samanipour, Saer, Wood, Ian A. and Feraud, Mathieu François (2026). PFAS Prophet: Prioritising Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Using Mass and MS/MS Spectra. Environmental Contamination: Causes and Solutions, 2 (2). doi: 10.53941/eccs.2026.100007
2026
Journal Article
Understanding and Reporting PFAS Exposure: Wide-Scope Retrospective Suspect Screening of High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data from Exposomics Studies
Renai, Lapo, Calabró, Federica, Turkina, Viktoriia, Dewapriya, Pradeep, Thomas, Kevin V., Papazian, Stefano and Samanipour, Saer (2026). Understanding and Reporting PFAS Exposure: Wide-Scope Retrospective Suspect Screening of High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data from Exposomics Studies. Environmental Science & Technology, 60 (30) acs.est.6c03864, 20790-20800. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6c03864
2026
Journal Article
Does the presence of polychlorinated alkanes in plastic fruit stickers adhesive pose a threat to human health?
He, Chang, Zellmer, Sebastian, Vetter, Walter, Li, Guiying, An, Taicheng, Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2026). Does the presence of polychlorinated alkanes in plastic fruit stickers adhesive pose a threat to human health?. Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment, 5 (3). doi: 10.20517/jeea.2026.22
2026
Journal Article
Could wastewater and clinical surveillance address blind spots in antimicrobial use and AMR? — Evidence from Australia’s Northern Territory
Li, Jinglong, Wozniak, Teresa M., Janson, Sonja, Stephens, Michael D., Thomas, Kevin V. and O'Brien, Jake W. (2026). Could wastewater and clinical surveillance address blind spots in antimicrobial use and AMR? — Evidence from Australia’s Northern Territory. Water Research, 306 126470, 126470-126470. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2026.126470
2026
Journal Article
From streets to seats: assessment of tire wear particles and tire additive chemicals in Australian urban dust
Kaur, Simran, Thomas, Kevin V. and Rauert, Cassandra (2026). From streets to seats: assessment of tire wear particles and tire additive chemicals in Australian urban dust. ACS ES&T Air, 3 (7) acsestair.6c00072, 1865-1876. doi: 10.1021/acsestair.6c00072
2026
Journal Article
Trends of fentanyl and oxycodone use in Australia (2018–2022) in national prescription and wastewater data sets
Ngo, Hieu K.T., Thai, Phong K., Connor, Jason P., Loveday, Bill, Verhagen, Rory, Bade, Richard, O’Brien, Jake W., Gerber, Cobus, Keller, Emma, Simpson, Bradley S., Culshaw, Peter, Hall, Wayne, Humphreys, Keith, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Ben (2026). Trends of fentanyl and oxycodone use in Australia (2018–2022) in national prescription and wastewater data sets. Environmental Science and Technology, 60 (25), 17615-17626. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c18126
2026
Journal Article
Antibiotic transformation products exert selective pressure for antimicrobial resistance comparable to parent compounds
Lakhey, Pooja, Hayes, April, Murray, Aimee K., Li, Jinglong, Thomas, Kevin V., Gaze, Willam H. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2026). Antibiotic transformation products exert selective pressure for antimicrobial resistance comparable to parent compounds. Nature Water, 4 (7), 1-1. doi: 10.1038/s44221-026-00663-4
2026
Journal Article
Microplastic contamination in snow of a high mountain: a case study from Uludağ National Park, Türkiye
Eraslan, Fatma Nur, Gaga, Eftade O., Thomas, Kevin V. and Rauert, Cassandra (2026). Microplastic contamination in snow of a high mountain: a case study from Uludağ National Park, Türkiye. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 17 (6) 102952, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.apr.2026.102952
2026
Journal Article
Enrichment of high-risk antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in freshwater environments: a meta-analysis
Zarean, Maryam, Mousavi, Sayed Esmaeil, Dave, Sejal H., O'Brien, Jake W., Thomas, Kevin V., Stevenson, Emily M., Singh, Paridhi, Karimpour, Shooka, Zhong, Huan, Brar, Satinder Kaur and Kwong, Raymond W. M. (2026). Enrichment of high-risk antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in freshwater environments: a meta-analysis. Environmental Pollution, 398 128053. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128053
2026
Journal Article
Detection and quantification of antifouling paint particles in marine sediments by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
De-la-Torre, Gabriel E., Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra, Grinham, Alistair and Thomas, Kevin V. (2026). Detection and quantification of antifouling paint particles in marine sediments by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Environmental Science and Technology, 60 (21), 15277-15285. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6c01819
2026
Journal Article
Detection and quantification of nanoplastics and microplastics in Australian drinking water
Shi, Ke, Okoffo, Elvis D., Jiang, Jie, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2026). Detection and quantification of nanoplastics and microplastics in Australian drinking water. ACS ES&T Water, 6 (5), 2883-2893. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.5c01404
2026
Journal Article
Low-plastic diet and urinary levels of plastic-associated phthalates and bisphenols: the randomized controlled PERTH Trial
Harray, Amelia J., Lucas, Andrew D., Herrmann, Susan E., Vlaskovsky, Philip S., Elagali, Ahmed, Seewoo, Bhedita J., Chan, Dick C., Chiarugi, Davide, Kulkarni, Rishabh, Trevenen, Michelle, Wang, Xianyu, Mueller, Jochen, Thomas, Kevin V., Papendorf, Hannah, Miller, Claire, Gaudieri, Silvana, Smith, Tony, Salman, Sam, Murray, Kevin, Symeonides, Christos, Dunlop, Sarah A., Watts, Gerald F., PERTH Trial Consortium, Warger, Jacob, Linge, Kathryn, Haywood, Zaheerah, Vermeersch, Andrea, Rock, Lydia, Duong, Lelinh ... Lucas, Michaela (2026). Low-plastic diet and urinary levels of plastic-associated phthalates and bisphenols: the randomized controlled PERTH Trial. Nature Medicine, 32 (5), 1871-1883. doi: 10.1038/s41591-026-04324-7
2026
Journal Article
Spatio-temporal distribution and environmental correlates of trihalomethane concentrations in public drinking water supplies in Queensland, Australia: A data linkage study
Kanmiki, Edmund Wedam, Hasan, Md Mehedi, Huda, M. Mamun, Choi, Phil, Fatima, Yaqoot, Boyle, Fran, Thomas, Kevin, Sly, Peter, Callaway, Leonie, Soares-Magalhaes, Ricardo and Mamun, Abdullah A. (2026). Spatio-temporal distribution and environmental correlates of trihalomethane concentrations in public drinking water supplies in Queensland, Australia: A data linkage study. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 273 114760, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114760
2026
Journal Article
Changes in wastewater measures of alcohol consumption in Alice Springs, Australia, 1 year after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol sales
Tscharke, Ben, Livingston, Michael, Clifford, Sarah, Zheng, Qiuda, Thai, Phong K., Verhagen, Rory, Bade, Richard, O'Brien, Jake W., Gerber, Cobus, Keller, Emma, Simpson, Bradley S., Thomas, Kevin V., Hall, Wayne and Mueller, Jochen F. (2026). Changes in wastewater measures of alcohol consumption in Alice Springs, Australia, 1 year after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol sales. Addiction, 121 (4), 851-860. doi: 10.1111/add.70262
2026
Journal Article
Weekend highs: rising ketamine levels in Australian wastewater
Keller, Emma, Tscharke, Ben, Peake, Brock, Verhagen, Rory, Bade, Richard, O’Brien, Jake, Thai, Phong, Thomas, Kevin, Mueller, Jochen, White, Jason, Simpson, Bradley and Gerber, Cobus (2026). Weekend highs: rising ketamine levels in Australian wastewater. Environmental Advances, 23 100687, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.envadv.2026.100687
2026
Journal Article
Plastics, plastic chemicals, and microplastics: multiple harms to health
Rocklöv, Joacim, Dunlop, Sarah, Chiles, Thomas C., Fuller, Lizzie, Geyer, Roland, Johnson, Mary Margaret, Karasik, Rachel, Muncke, Jane, Raps, Herve, Rauert, Cassandra, Rhodes, Megan G., Spring, Margaret, Stegeman, John, Symeonides, Christos, Thomas, Kevin V., Treskova, Marina, Velis, Costa A., Wagner, Martin and Landrigan, Philip J. (2026). Plastics, plastic chemicals, and microplastics: multiple harms to health. The Lancet, 408 (10554), 500-503. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(26)00647-1
2026
Journal Article
National wastewater surveillance of illicit tobacco and vaping use trends in Australia
Wang, Zhe, Zheng, Qiuda, Thai, Phong K., Gartner, Coral, O’Brien, Jake W., Bade, Richard, Verhagen, Rory, Hall, Wayne, Stjepanović, Daniel, Simpson, Bradley S., Keller, Emma L., Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Ben (2026). National wastewater surveillance of illicit tobacco and vaping use trends in Australia. JAMA Network Open, 9 (2) e2557319. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.57319
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Kevin Thomas is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
-
Available projects for prospective PhD students
Projects are available around four broad themes.
- Identifying chemicals that select for antimicrobial resistance.
- Assessing the environmental plastics cycle with a focus on human exposure.
- Assessing community-wide health status through wastewater-based epidemiology.
- Alternative matrices for exposure monitoring. For example explanted silicone prostheses and wristbands.
- Analytical methods for the characterization of contaminants of emerging concern (target/suspect-screening/non-target analysis).
Project specific opportunities are advertised on our centre website
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing microplastic inputs from ships
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Cross regional comparison of emerging contaminants in urban catchments
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
PM2.5 and plastics pollution in Delhi: Sources, characterization and atmospheric transport modeling
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding emerging contaminants and metabolomic responses in Australian seabird species
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Dr Fisher Wang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of the inflammatory response of human cells to silica dust exposure
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo, Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
DETERMINATION OF MICRO AND NANOPLASTICS IN BREAST MILK, BLOOD AND MECONIUM SAMPLES FROM MOTHERS-INFANTS IN AUSTRALIA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Emerging contaminants in Food Contact Materials, analysis policy and regulation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Specialised Hyphenated Methodologies for Quantifying New Halogenated Plastic Materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Human exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides and methods to reduce exposure
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Professor Bhagirath Chauhan, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
Doctor Philosophy
The suitability of wastewater-based epidemiology for AMR surveillance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation and Quantification of Nanoplastics in the Environment Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Ubiquitous Environmental Contaminants of Emerging Concern
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
AMR in food producing environments (Ref: 5529)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
Human exposure and accumulation of plastics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Road to Contamination: Understanding the Environmental Distribution of Tyre Wear Particles and Tyre Associated Chemicals in Australian Urban Environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Non-Targeted High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Highly Mobile and Highly Persistent Chemicals
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassandra Rauert, Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
Human exposure and fate of micro/nanoplastics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Taskeen Janjua Khan, Dr Cassandra Rauert
Completed supervision
-
2026
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating dietary exposure to nanoplastics and microplastics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
2026
Doctor Philosophy
Microplastic Pollution in Water Systems: Issues and Treatment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring antimicrobial resistance in Australian wastewater
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Professor Jianhua Guo
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Microplastics in the air: Working towards understanding micro plastics in the atmospheric environment, the plastic exposome and human respiratory exposure
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Fisher Wang, Dr Cassandra Rauert
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Antibiotics and other chemicals that select for antimicrobial resistance in Australian wastewater
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Advancing the non-target identification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in environmental samples
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ian Wood, Dr Jake O'Brien, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating the suitability of wastewater analysis for the detection and monitoring of performance- and image-enhancing drug use
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Ben Tscharke
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of plastic contamination in marine organisms
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of analgesic consumption and the burden of treated pain in Australia using wastewater-based epidemiology
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Ben Tscharke
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
An assessment of plastic residues in Australian biosolids
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Ben Tscharke
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating degradation levels and their potential impact on the quantification of microplastics in the environment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Dr Elvis Okoffo
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Fate and behaviour of neonicotinoids in Australian aquatic environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Estimating use of nicotine containing products and evaluating tobacco-related health risks through wastewater analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Ben Tscharke, Associate Professor Phong Thai
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Improved monitoring of hydrophilic aquatic contaminants.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation and Implementation of Methods to increase Comprehensiveness of Non-Target Analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Innovative sampling strategies for improved wastewater-based epidemiology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Dr Ben Tscharke
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
An assessment of alcohol and tobacco consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Dr Ben Tscharke, Associate Professor Phong Thai
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Firefighters' exposure to potentially toxic combustion products.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Professor Jochen Mueller
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Population diet and stress estimates using wastewater based epidemiology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Professor Jochen Mueller
-
Doctor Philosophy
Microplastic pollution: From nanoscale surface interactions to public perceptions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Kevin Thomas directly for media enquiries about:
- Aquatic pollution
- chemical pollution
- Illicit drug monitoring in wastewater
- Microplastics
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