Overview
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 300 peer-reviewed papers and Associate Editor for the journal Science of the Total Environment, Kevin is a strong collaborative researcher having founded the international SCORE network on sewer biomarker analysis for community health assessment (see www.score-network.eu) and together with colleagues has recently launched InSpectra- A platform for identifying emerging chemical threats.
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
2019
Journal Article
The effect of extraction methodology on the recovery and distribution of naphthenic acids of oilfield produced water
Samanipour, Saer, Hooshyari, Maryam, Baz-Lomba, Jose A., Reid, Malcolm J., Casale, Monica and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). The effect of extraction methodology on the recovery and distribution of naphthenic acids of oilfield produced water. Science of the Total Environment, 652, 1416-1423. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.264
2019
Journal Article
Assessing alternative population size proxies in a wastewater catchment area using mobile device data
Baz-Lomba, Jose Antonio, Di Ruscio, Francesco, Amador, Arturo, Reid, Malcolm and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Assessing alternative population size proxies in a wastewater catchment area using mobile device data. Environmental Science and Technology, 53 (4), 1994-2001. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05389
2019
Journal Article
LC-HRMS suspect screening to show spatial patterns of New Psychoactive Substances use in Australia
Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Benjamin J., White, Jason M., Grant, Sharon, Mueller, Jochen F., O'Brien, Jake, Thomas, Kevin V. and Gerber, Cobus (2019). LC-HRMS suspect screening to show spatial patterns of New Psychoactive Substances use in Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 650 (Pt 2), 2181-2187. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.348
2019
Journal Article
Accumulation and fate of nano- and micro-plastics and associated contaminants in organisms
Ribeiro, Francisca, O'Brien, Jake W., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Accumulation and fate of nano- and micro-plastics and associated contaminants in organisms. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 111, 139-147. doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2018.12.010
2019
Conference Publication
Trends in nicotine consumption between 2010 and 2017 in an Australian city using the wastewater-based epidemiology approach
Mackie, Miss, Tscharke, Benjamin, O'Brien, Jake, Choi, Phil, Gartner, Coral, Thomas, Kevin and Mueller, Jochen (2019). Trends in nicotine consumption between 2010 and 2017 in an Australian city using the wastewater-based epidemiology approach. Fall National Meeting and Exposition of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS), San Diego, CA, United States, 25-29 August 2019. Washington, DC, United States: American Chemical Society.
2019
Conference Publication
Expanding wastewater-based epidemiology to inform on public health
Thomas, Kevin, O'Brien, Jake, Tscharke, Benjamin, Choi, Phil, Thai, Phong, Mackie, Miss, Verhagen, Rory, Shimko, Katja, Ahmed, Fahad, O'Malley, Elissa, Zheng, Quida and Mueller, Jochen (2019). Expanding wastewater-based epidemiology to inform on public health. Fall National Meeting and Exposition of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS), San Diego, CA, United States, 25-29 August 2019. Washington, DC, United States: American Chemical Society.
2019
Conference Publication
Monitoring opioid use through wastewater-based epidemiology: Case of methadone in Australia and China
Thai, Phong, O'Brien, Jake, Tscharke, Benjamin, Du, Peng, Li, Xiqing, Bruno, Raimondo, Thomas, Kevin and Mueller, Jochen (2019). Monitoring opioid use through wastewater-based epidemiology: Case of methadone in Australia and China. Fall National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), San Diego, CA, United States, 25-29 August 2019. Washington, DC, United States: American Chemical Society.
2019
Book Chapter
Mining population exposure and community health via wastewater-based epidemiology
Choi, Phil M., Thomas, Kevin V., O’Brien, Jake W. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2019). Mining population exposure and community health via wastewater-based epidemiology. A new paradigm for environmental chemistry and toxicology: from concepts to insights. (pp. 99-114) Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-9447-8_8
2019
Conference Publication
Influence of population age and socioeconomics on chemical consumption and diet patterns measured by wastewater based epidemiology
Choi, P., Tscharke, B., Samanipour, S., O’Brien, J., Thomas, K. and Mueller, J. (2019). Influence of population age and socioeconomics on chemical consumption and diet patterns measured by wastewater based epidemiology. 2019 Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht, Netherlands, 25-28 August 2019. Alphen aan de Rijn, Netherlands: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). doi: 10.1097/01.ee9.0000606448.07396.1d
2019
Conference Publication
Measuring the scale of opioid consumption in Australia by wastewater analysis
Gerber, Cobus, Nguyen, Lynn, Bade, Richard, White, Jason, Tscharke, Benjamin, O'Brien, Jake, Mueller, Jochen and Thomas, Kevin (2019). Measuring the scale of opioid consumption in Australia by wastewater analysis. Fall National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), San Diego, CA, United States, 25-29 August 2019. Washington, DC, United States: American Chemical Society.
2019
Conference Publication
Implication of in-sewer stability testing of markers for wastewater-based epidemiology
O'Brien, Jake W. , Jiang, Guangming , Gao, Jianfa , Li, Jiaying , Banks, Andrew , Mueller, Jochen F. , Choi, Phil , Thomas, Kevin V. , Ort, Christoph , Tscharke, Benjamin J. and Thai, Phong K. (2019). Implication of in-sewer stability testing of markers for wastewater-based epidemiology. ACS Fall 2019 National Meeting & Exposition, San Diego, CA, United States, 25-29 August 2019. WASHINGTON: AMER CHEMICAL SOC.
2019
Conference Publication
Microplastics quantification in complex environment samples using combined solvent extraction and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Ribeiro, Francisca, O'Brien, Stacey, O'Brien, Jake, Gallen, Michael and Thomas, Kevin (2019). Microplastics quantification in complex environment samples using combined solvent extraction and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fall National Meeting and Exposition of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS), San Diego, CA United States, 25-29 August 2019. Washington, DC United States: American Chemical Society.
2018
Journal Article
Calibration and validation of a novel passive sampling device for the time integrative monitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and precursors in contaminated groundwater
Kaserzon, Sarit, Vijayasarathy, Soumini, Bräunig, Jennifer, Mueller, Linus, Hawker, Darryl W., Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2018). Calibration and validation of a novel passive sampling device for the time integrative monitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and precursors in contaminated groundwater. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 366, 423-431. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.12.010
2018
Journal Article
Mytilus spp. as sentinels for monitoring microplastic pollution in Norwegian coastal waters: a qualitative and quantitative study
Bråte, Inger Lise N., Hurley, Rachel, Iversen, Karine, Beyer, Jonny, Thomas, Kevin V., Steindal, Calin C., Green, Norman W., Olsen, Marianne and Lusher, Amy (2018). Mytilus spp. as sentinels for monitoring microplastic pollution in Norwegian coastal waters: a qualitative and quantitative study. Environmental Pollution, 243 (Part A), 383-393. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.08.077
2018
Journal Article
A National Wastewater Monitoring Program for a better understanding of public health: a case study using the Australian Census
O'Brien, Jake W., Grant, Sharon, Banks, Andrew P.W., Bruno, Raimondo, Carter, Stephen, Choi, Phil M., Covaci, Adrian, Crosbie, Nicholas D., Gartner, Coral, Hall, Wayne, Jiang, Guangming, Kaserzon, Sarit, Kirkbride, K. Paul, Lai, Foon Yin, Mackie, Rachel, Marshall, Judi, Ort, Christoph, Paxman, Christopher, Prichard, Jeremy, Thai, Phong, Thomas, Kevin V., Tscharke, Ben and Mueller, Jochen F. (2018). A National Wastewater Monitoring Program for a better understanding of public health: a case study using the Australian Census. Environment International, 122, 400-411. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.12.003
2018
Journal Article
Emerging pollutants in the EU: 10 years of NORMAN in support of environmental policies and regulations
Dulio, Valeria, van Bavel, Bert, Brorström-Lundén, Eva, Harmsen, Joop, Hollender, Juliane, Schlabach, Martin, Slobodnik, Jaroslav, Thomas, Kevin and Koschorreck, Jan (2018). Emerging pollutants in the EU: 10 years of NORMAN in support of environmental policies and regulations. Environmental Sciences Europe, 30 (1) 5. doi: 10.1186/s12302-018-0135-3
2018
Other Outputs
National wastewater drug monitoring program: sixth report
Tscharke, B., Mackie, R., O’Brien, J., Grant, S., Mueller, J., Thomas, K., Ghetia, M., Bade, R., Gerber, C. and White, J. (2018). National wastewater drug monitoring program: sixth report. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).
2018
Journal Article
Enantiomeric profiling of amphetamine and methamphetamine in wastewater: a 7-year study in regional and urban Queensland, Australia
Gao, Jianfa, Xu, Zeqiong, Li, Xiqing, O'Brien, Jake W., Culshaw, Peter N., Thomas, Kevin V., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2018). Enantiomeric profiling of amphetamine and methamphetamine in wastewater: a 7-year study in regional and urban Queensland, Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 643, 827-834. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.242
2018
Journal Article
'Ice rushes', data shadows and methylamphetamine use in rural towns: wastewater analysis
Prichard, Jeremy, Lai, Foon Yin, O'Brien, Jake, Bruno, Raimondo, Thai, Phong, Hall, Wayne, Kirkbride, Paul, Thomas, Kevin and Mueller, Jochen F. (2018). 'Ice rushes', data shadows and methylamphetamine use in rural towns: wastewater analysis. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 29 (3), 195-208. doi: 10.1080/10345329.2018.12036097
2018
Journal Article
Population histamine burden assessed using wastewater-based epidemiology: the association of 1,4‑methylimidazole acetic acid and fexofenadine
Choi, Phil M., O'Brien, Jake W., Li, Jiaying, Jiang, Guangming, Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2018). Population histamine burden assessed using wastewater-based epidemiology: the association of 1,4‑methylimidazole acetic acid and fexofenadine. Environment International, 120, 172-180. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.009
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Kevin Thomas is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
PM2.5 and plastics pollution in Delhi: Sources, characterization and atmospheric transport modeling
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing microplastic inputs from ships
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassie Rauert
-
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 Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Microplastics pollution in water systems: Issues and Treatment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo
-
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
Cross regional comparison of emerging contaminants in urban catchments
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring antimicrobial resistance in Australian wastewater
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Professor Jianhua Guo
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing dietary exposure to plastics and associated chemicals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Antibiotics and other chemicals that select for antimicrobial resistance in Australian wastewater
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
Reducing glyphosate exposure from high use practices
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Dr Sara Ghorbani Gorji, Professor Bhagirath Chauhan, 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 Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Emerging contaminants in Food Organics and Garden Organic (FOGO) materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sara Ghorbani Gorji, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
Doctor Philosophy
Human exposure and accumulation of plastics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
The suitability of wastewater-based epidemiology for AMR surveillance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
Fate and behaviour of neonicotinoids in Australian aquatic environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sara Ghorbani Gorji, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
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, Associate Professor Phong Thai
-
Doctor Philosophy
Non-Targeted High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Highly Mobile and Highly Persistent Chemicals
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassie Rauert, Dr Jake O'Brien
-
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
Developing the framework for a national wastewater antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use surveillance method
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 Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Emerging contaminants in Food Contact Materials, analysis policy and regulation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
Doctor Philosophy
DETERMINATION OF MICRO AND NANOPLASTICS IN BREAST MILK, BLOOD AND MECONIUM SAMPLES FROM MOTHERS-INFANTS IN AUSTRALIA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert
-
-
Doctor Philosophy
Human exposure and fate of micro/nanoplastics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert, Dr Taskeen Janjua Khan
Completed supervision
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
An assessment of plastic residues in Australian biosolids
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien
-
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
-
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, 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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