Professor Kevin Thomas
Professor

Kevin Thomas

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 32443

Background

Professor Kevin Thomas is Director of the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS). Kevin is an environmental health scientist with a particular interest in understanding the environmental exposures associated with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) with the goal of protecting environmental and human health. Kevin also leads the Minderoo Centre- Plastics and Human Health at UQ and is Deputy-Director of the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (HyTech).

His current research is focused on understanding human exposure to plastics pollution and developing mass spectrometric analytical methods for characterizing plastics and other CECs, assessing community-wide health status through analysing wastewater (wastewater-based epidemiology) and establishing alternative approaches to exposure monitoring, for example explanted silicone prostheses and wristbands.

Author of over 350 peer-reviewed papers Kevin is a strong collaborative researcher having co-founded the Plastic Measurement Brains Trust (PMBT).

Availability

Professor Kevin Thomas is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Analytical chemistry Analytical chemistry not elsewhere classified Analytical spectrometry Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Chemical Sciences Environmental Sciences Health Sciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Plymouth University
  • Doctoral Diploma of Science (Advanced), Plymouth University

Search Professor Kevin Thomas’s works on UQ eSpace

419 works between 1995 and 2026
All (419) Journal Article (373) Other Outputs (5) Conference Publication (30) Book Chapter (11)

1 - 20 of 419 works

2026

Journal Article

Nanoplastic and microplastic contamination in Australian carbonated beverages: measurement by Pyrolysis-GC-MS and the challenge of poly(ethylene terephthalate) oligomer interference

Jeffries, Coral, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2026). Nanoplastic and microplastic contamination in Australian carbonated beverages: measurement by Pyrolysis-GC-MS and the challenge of poly(ethylene terephthalate) oligomer interference. Journal of Hazardous Materials: Plastics, 2 100035, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.hazmp.2025.100035

Nanoplastic and microplastic contamination in Australian carbonated beverages: measurement by Pyrolysis-GC-MS and the challenge of poly(ethylene terephthalate) oligomer interference

2026

Journal Article

Comment on “Polyethylene and Polyvinyl Chloride Nanoplastics in Human Follicular Fluid and Seminal Plasma: Impact on Fertilization and Sperm Quality”

Thomas, Kevin V., Davies, Grace, Okoffo, Elvis, Wright, Stephanie and Rauert, Cassandra (2026). Comment on “Polyethylene and Polyvinyl Chloride Nanoplastics in Human Follicular Fluid and Seminal Plasma: Impact on Fertilization and Sperm Quality”. ACS Nano, 20 (1), 1-2. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.5c13836

Comment on “Polyethylene and Polyvinyl Chloride Nanoplastics in Human Follicular Fluid and Seminal Plasma: Impact on Fertilization and Sperm Quality”

2026

Journal Article

Evaluating environmental health communication: the readability of factsheets about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Magi-Prowse, Carla R., Fielding, Kelly S., Thomas, Kevin V. and Morphett, Kylie (2026). Evaluating environmental health communication: the readability of factsheets about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 271 114680, 114680-271. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114680

Evaluating environmental health communication: the readability of factsheets about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

2025

Journal Article

Impact of tyre wear particles and tyre leachate on the freshwater angiosperm Lemna minor

Pan, Yufei, Rauert, Cassie, Schmidt, Susanne and Thomas, Kevin (2025). Impact of tyre wear particles and tyre leachate on the freshwater angiosperm Lemna minor. Environmental Chemistry, 22 (8) EN25061, 1-17. doi: 10.1071/en25061

Impact of tyre wear particles and tyre leachate on the freshwater angiosperm Lemna minor

2025

Journal Article

Cannabis consumption in Australia 2018–2025: Socio‐economic and regional trends from wastewater and survey data

Verhagen, Rory, Gerber, Cobus, Thai, Phong, Bade, Richard, O'Brien, Jake, Keller, Emma L., Simpson, Bradley S., Hall, Wayne, Leung, Janni, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Benjamin J. (2025). Cannabis consumption in Australia 2018–2025: Socio‐economic and regional trends from wastewater and survey data. Addiction add.70277. doi: 10.1111/add.70277

Cannabis consumption in Australia 2018–2025: Socio‐economic and regional trends from wastewater and survey data

2025

Journal Article

Evaluating the influence of polystyrene standards on quantification in environmental samples

Chen, Honglin, Thomas, Kevin V. and Rauert, Cassandra (2025). Evaluating the influence of polystyrene standards on quantification in environmental samples. Microplastics and Nanoplastics, 5 (1) 29, 1. doi: 10.1186/s43591-025-00135-8

Evaluating the influence of polystyrene standards on quantification in environmental samples

2025

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. (2025). Changes in wastewater measures of alcohol consumption in Alice Springs, Australia, 1 year after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol sales. Addiction add.70262. doi: 10.1111/add.70262

Changes in wastewater measures of alcohol consumption in Alice Springs, Australia, 1 year after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol sales

2025

Journal Article

Release of nanoplastic from polypropylene kettles

Shi, Ke, Okoffo, Elvis D., Fu, Hongrui, Bapp, Carolin, Jiang, Jie, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Release of nanoplastic from polypropylene kettles. npj Emerging Contaminants, 1 (1) 16, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s44454-025-00018-w

Release of nanoplastic from polypropylene kettles

2025

Journal Article

Discovery of previously unreported per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pooled Australian human serum using nontarget analysis

Dewapriya, Pradeep, Nilsson, Sandra, Ghorbani Gorji, Sara, O’Brien, Jake W., Bräunig, Jennifer, José Gómez Ramos, María, Samanipour, Saer, Martin, Jonathan W., Toms, Leisa-Maree L., Mueller, Jochen F., Kaserzon, Sarit L. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Discovery of previously unreported per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pooled Australian human serum using nontarget analysis. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (48), 26081-26091. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c04623

Discovery of previously unreported per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pooled Australian human serum using nontarget analysis

2025

Journal Article

Environmental antimicrobial resistance: current status and future prospects

Thomas, Kevin V., Zhai, Naixiang, Li, Jinglong and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Environmental antimicrobial resistance: current status and future prospects. Environmental Contamination: Causes and Solutions, 1 (1). doi: 10.53941/eccs.2025.100006

Environmental antimicrobial resistance: current status and future prospects

2025

Journal Article

Micro- and nanoplastic-induced respiratory disease and dysfunction: a scoping review

Goldsworthy, Adrian, O’Callaghan, Liam A., Tronstad, Oystein, Suen, Jacky, Chen, Honglin, Rauert, Cassandra, Blum, Ciara B., Tajouri, Lotti, Olsen, Matthew, Thomas, Kevin V. and Fraser, John F. (2025). Micro- and nanoplastic-induced respiratory disease and dysfunction: a scoping review. Microplastics, 4 (4) 79, 1-45. doi: 10.3390/microplastics4040079

Micro- and nanoplastic-induced respiratory disease and dysfunction: a scoping review

2025

Journal Article

Machine learning for predicting environmental mobility based on retention behavior

Hulleman, Tobias, Samanipour, Saer, Haddad, Paul R., Rauert, Cassandra, Okoffo, Elvis D., Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Machine learning for predicting environmental mobility based on retention behavior. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (43) acs.est.5c07274, 23339-23348. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c07274

Machine learning for predicting environmental mobility based on retention behavior

2025

Journal Article

Uptake of Artificial Sweeteners in Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.): Subcellular Distribution and Nontarget Identification of New Metabolites

Li, Dandan, Xing, Jiamin, Du, Peng, Yao, Yiming, Xing, Yeye, Wang, Dongfang, Sun, Xiaojie, Guo, Linlin, Li, Zhiyuan, Wang, Fang and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Uptake of Artificial Sweeteners in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Subcellular Distribution and Nontarget Identification of New Metabolites. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 73 (42) acs.jafc.5c06683, 26564-26573. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c06683

Uptake of Artificial Sweeteners in Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.): Subcellular Distribution and Nontarget Identification of New Metabolites

2025

Journal Article

Release of nanoplastics from polypropylene food containers into hot and cold water

Shi, Ke, Okoffo, Elvis D., Lu, Wei-Cheng, Jiang, Jie, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Release of nanoplastics from polypropylene food containers into hot and cold water. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 73 (42) acs.jafc.5c11270, 27038-27047. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c11270

Release of nanoplastics from polypropylene food containers into hot and cold water

2025

Journal Article

Evaluating dextrorphan as a wastewater biomarker for cough suppressant use: A longitudinal study in China

Shao, Xue-Ting, Ma, Xin-Dong, Li, Jing-Long, O’Brien, Jake W., Thomas, Kevin and Wang, De-Gao (2025). Evaluating dextrorphan as a wastewater biomarker for cough suppressant use: A longitudinal study in China. Water Research, 285 124119, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.124119

Evaluating dextrorphan as a wastewater biomarker for cough suppressant use: A longitudinal study in China

2025

Journal Article

Non-PFAS-based magnetic polymer sorbents for efficient removal of perfluorinated compounds from landfill leachate

Tan, Xiao, Yang, Zhuojing, Chen, Zhou, Zhu, Yutong, Yu, Chunrong, Wang, Yiqing, Liu, Kehan, Dewapriya, Pradeep, Li, Xuemei, Su, Zicheng, Giansiracusa, Marcus J, Boskovic, Colette, Wang, Biao, Thomas, Kevin V. and Zhang, Cheng (2025). Non-PFAS-based magnetic polymer sorbents for efficient removal of perfluorinated compounds from landfill leachate. Advanced Materials, 38 (1) e02427, e02427. doi: 10.1002/adma.202502427

Non-PFAS-based magnetic polymer sorbents for efficient removal of perfluorinated compounds from landfill leachate

2025

Journal Article

Randomised controlled trial of a low plastic diet and lifestyle intervention for adults with cardiometabolic risk factors: the Plastic Exposure Reduction Transforms Health (PERTH) trial - a protocol

Lucas, Andrew, Harray, Amelia, Duong, Lelinh, Herrmann, Susan, Vlaskovsky, Philip, Trevenen, Michelle, Chan, Dick, Papendorf, Hannah, Smith, Tony, Flint, Lilith, Liu, Alex, Gaudieri, Silvana, Wang, Xianyu, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin, Murray, Kevin, Symeonides, Christos, Dunlop, Sarah, Watts, Gerald and Lucas, Michaela (2025). Randomised controlled trial of a low plastic diet and lifestyle intervention for adults with cardiometabolic risk factors: the Plastic Exposure Reduction Transforms Health (PERTH) trial - a protocol. BMJ Open, 15 (8) e099330, 1-13. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-099330

Randomised controlled trial of a low plastic diet and lifestyle intervention for adults with cardiometabolic risk factors: the Plastic Exposure Reduction Transforms Health (PERTH) trial - a protocol

2025

Journal Article

Stability of antibiotics and their metabolites in sewers: implications for wastewater-based epidemiology and antibiotic sustainability

Li, Jinglong, Ren, Jianan, Li, Jiaying, Thai, Phong K., Cen, Xiaotong, Zhao, Zeyang, Zhai, Naixiang, Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Stability of antibiotics and their metabolites in sewers: implications for wastewater-based epidemiology and antibiotic sustainability. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (33), 17796-17810. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c04421

Stability of antibiotics and their metabolites in sewers: implications for wastewater-based epidemiology and antibiotic sustainability

2025

Journal Article

Time-weighted conversion of acute to chronic equivalent endpoints for derivation of chronic ecotoxicity threshold values of six neonicotinoids in freshwater

Beggs, Carly, Sánchez-Bayo, Francisco, Ghorbani Gorji, Sara, Thomas, Kevin V. and Kaserzon, Sarit L. (2025). Time-weighted conversion of acute to chronic equivalent endpoints for derivation of chronic ecotoxicity threshold values of six neonicotinoids in freshwater. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 44 (7), 1901-1911. doi: 10.1093/etojnl/vgaf091

Time-weighted conversion of acute to chronic equivalent endpoints for derivation of chronic ecotoxicity threshold values of six neonicotinoids in freshwater

2025

Journal Article

Evaluation of a Low-Cost Active Air Sampler for the Surveillance of Airborne Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Using a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant as a Case Study

Zhai, Naixiang, Li, Jinglong, Klümper, Uli, Lakhey, Pooja, Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2025). Evaluation of a Low-Cost Active Air Sampler for the Surveillance of Airborne Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Using a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant as a Case Study. ACS ES&T Engineering, 5 (9), 2260-2268. doi: 10.1021/acsestengg.5c00180

Evaluation of a Low-Cost Active Air Sampler for the Surveillance of Airborne Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Using a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant as a Case Study

Current funding

  • 2026 - 2030
    Characterising Environmental Chemicals Driving Antimicrobial Resistance
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2027
    National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program
    Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2028
    ARC Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (ARC ITRP administered by the University of Tasmania)
    University of Tasmania
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2028
    Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences
    Queensland Health
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    Identification of chemical and biological determinants, their sources, and strategies to promote healthier homes in Europe (INQUIRE)
    NHMRC European Union Collaborative Research Grants
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    Improving indoor air quality and health: Identification of chemical and biological determinants, their sources, and strategies to promote healthier homes in Europe - INQUIRE (EU RIA led by NILU)
    Norwegian Institute for Air Research
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2028
    Developing protocols to measure plastic chemicals in human brain, blood and urine
    The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2030
    Centre to develop novel mass spectrometry protocols to measure plastic chemicals in human tissue
    The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    Chemical Analyses of National Passive Air Samples
    DCCEEW - Approach to Market
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Analysing Clothing Textiles on the Australian Market for Chemicals of Concern
    DCCEEW - Approach to Market
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Microplastics in drinking water
    Minderoo Foundation Limited
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Australian Environmental Specimen Bank: advancing specimen bank capability
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Preliminary investigations relating to the role of cyanobacterial blooms in the amplification and dispersal of antimicrobial resistance
    Melbourne Water Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2021
    Quarantined ion chromatography mass spectrometry (IC-MS) facility (ARC LIEF administered by University of Tasmania)
    University of Tasmania
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Exposure to Trihalomethanes in pregnancy and birth outcomes in Queensland: integrated data analysis and case studies for better policy and health outcomes
    NHMRC Partnership Projects
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Improved monitoring of aquatic pollutants in national water resources
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Comprehensive characterisation of the PFAS exposome
    NHMRC Targeted Research
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Estimating use of tobacco and nicotine products through wastewater analysis
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program
    Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2024
    Microplastics: Long-term Effects of plastics and Additive Chemicals on marine organisms (MicroLEACH)
    Norwegian Institute for Water Research
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    A global platform for identifying emerging chemical threats
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019
    A Gas Chromatography-High Resolution Accurate Mass Spectrometry Facility
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Novel Testing Strategies for Endocrine Disruptors in the Context of Developmental Neuro Toxicity (ENDpoiNTs) (Horizon 2020 Grant administered by Karolinska Institute)
    Uppsala University
    Open grant
  • 2019
    UHPLC-QTOF-MS for research on emerging chemical pollutants including PFAS
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Identification and screening for potential human health effects of coal seam gas (CSG) activity in the southern Surat Basin, Queensland
    CSIRO
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2023
    Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences
    Queensland Health
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2022
    Exposure mapping - combining wastewater analysis with human biomonitoring
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences
    Queensland Health
    Open grant

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

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Kevin Thomas directly for media enquiries about:

  • Aquatic pollution
  • chemical pollution
  • Illicit drug monitoring in wastewater
  • Microplastics

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au