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
2020
Journal Article
New approach in the measurement of long-term alcohol consumption trends: application of wastewater-based epidemiology in an Australian regional city
Zheng, Qiuda, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Krapp, Catharina, O’Brien, Jake W., Mackie, Rachel S., Connor, Jason, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Thai, Phong K. (2020). New approach in the measurement of long-term alcohol consumption trends: application of wastewater-based epidemiology in an Australian regional city. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 207 107795, 107795. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107795
2020
Book Chapter
Biocides from marine coatings
Martins, Samantha Eslava, Oliveira, Isabel, Langford, Katherine and Thomas, Kevin (2020). Biocides from marine coatings. Environmental impact of ships. (pp. 112-164) edited by Stephen de Mora, Timothy Fileman and Thomas Vance. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/9781108381598.007
2020
Journal Article
Wastewater-based epidemiology: global collaborative to maximize contributions in the fight against COVID-19
Bivins, Aaron, North, Devin, Ahmad, Arslan, Ahmed, Warish, Alm, Eric, Been, Frederic, Bhattacharya, Prosun, Bijlsma, Lubertus, Boehm, Alexandria B., Brown, Joe, Buttiglieri, Gianluigi, Calabro, Vincenza, Carducci, Annalaura, Castiglioni, Sara, Cetecioglu Gurol, Zeynep, Chakraborty, Sudip, Costa, Federico, Curcio, Stefano, De Los Reyes, Francis L., Delgado Vela, Jeseth, Farkas, Kata, Fernandez-Casi, Xavier, Gerba, Charles, Gerrity, Daniel, Girones, Rosina, Gonzalez, Raul, Haramoto, Eiji, Harris, Angela, Holden, Patricia A. ... Bibby, Kyle (2020). Wastewater-based epidemiology: global collaborative to maximize contributions in the fight against COVID-19. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (13), 7754-7757. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02388
2019
Journal Article
Evaluating the stability of three oxidative stress biomarkers under sewer conditions and potential impact for use in wastewater-based epidemiology
O'Brien, Jake W., Choi, Phil M., Li, Jiaying, Thai, Phong K., Jiang, Guangming, Tscharke, Ben, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Evaluating the stability of three oxidative stress biomarkers under sewer conditions and potential impact for use in wastewater-based epidemiology. Water Research, 166 115068, 115068. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115068
2019
Journal Article
New psychoactive substances: challenges for drug surveillance, control, and public health responses
Peacock, Amy, Bruno, Raimondo, Gisev, Natasa, Degenhardt, Louisa, Hall, Wayne, Sedefov, Roumen, White, Jason, Thomas, Kevin V, Farrell, Michael and Griffiths, Paul (2019). New psychoactive substances: challenges for drug surveillance, control, and public health responses. The Lancet, 394 (10209), 1668-1684. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32231-7
2019
Journal Article
Social, demographic, and economic correlates of food and chemical consumption measured by wastewater-based epidemiology
Choi, Phil M., Tscharke, Benjamin, Samanipour, Saer, Hall, Wayne D., Gartner, Coral E., Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2019). Social, demographic, and economic correlates of food and chemical consumption measured by wastewater-based epidemiology. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116 (43), 201910242-21873. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1910242116
2019
Journal Article
Spatio-temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from 7 years of international wastewater monitoring
González-Mariño, Iria, Baz-Lomba, Jose Antonio, Alygizakis, Nikiforos A., Andrés-Costa, Maria Jesús, Bade, Richard, Barron, Leon P., Been, Frederic, Berset, Jean-Daniel, Bijlsma, Lubertus, Bodík, Igor, Brenner, Asher, Brock, Andreas L., Burgard, Daniel A., Castrignanò, Erika, Christophoridis, Christophoros E., Covaci, Adrian, de Voogt, Pim, Devault, Damien A., Dias, Mário J., Emke, Erik, Fatta-Kassinos, Despo, Fedorova, Ganna, Fytianos, Konstantinos, Gerber, Cobus, Grabic, Roman, Grüner, Stefan, Gunnar, Teemu, Hapeshi, Evroula, Heath, Ester ... Ort, Christoph (2019). Spatio-temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from 7 years of international wastewater monitoring. Addiction, 115 (1) add.14767, 109-120. doi: 10.1111/add.14767
2019
Journal Article
FTIR and Raman imaging for microplastics analysis: State of the art, challenges and prospects
Xu, Jun-Li, Thomas, Kevin V., Luo, Zisheng and Gowen, Aoife A. (2019). FTIR and Raman imaging for microplastics analysis: State of the art, challenges and prospects. TrAC - Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 119 115629, 115629. doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2019.115629
2019
Journal Article
Wastewater treatment plants as a source of plastics in the environment: a review of occurrence, methods for identification, quantification and fate
Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, O'Brien, Stacey, O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Ben and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Wastewater treatment plants as a source of plastics in the environment: a review of occurrence, methods for identification, quantification and fate. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 5 (11), 1908-1931. doi: 10.1039/c9ew00428a
2019
Journal Article
Environmental risks associated with contaminants of legacy and emerging concern at European aquaculture areas
Aminot, Yann, Sayfritz, Stephen J., Thomas, Kevin V., Godinho, Lia, Botteon, Elena, Ferrari, Federico, Boti, Vasiliki, Albanis, Triantafyllos, Köck-Schulmeyer, Marianne, Diaz-Cruz, M. Silvia, Farré, Marinella, Barceló, Damià, Marques, António and Readman, James W. (2019). Environmental risks associated with contaminants of legacy and emerging concern at European aquaculture areas. Environmental Pollution, 252 (Pt B), 1301-1310. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.133
2019
Other Outputs
National wastewater drug monitoring program - report 8
Tscharke, B, O'Brien, J., Reeks, T., Elisei, G., Grant, S., Mueller, J., Thomas, K., Ghetia, M., Bade, R., Nguyen, L., Gerber, C. and White, J. (2019). National wastewater drug monitoring program - report 8. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).
2019
Journal Article
Harnessing the power of the census: characterising wastewater treatment plant catchment populations for wastewater-based epidemiology
Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake, Ort, Christoph, Grant, Sharon, Gerber, Cobus, Bade, Richard, Thai, Phong K., Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2019). Harnessing the power of the census: characterising wastewater treatment plant catchment populations for wastewater-based epidemiology. Environmental Science and Technology, 53 (17) acs.est.9b03447, 10303-10311. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03447
2019
Journal Article
Self adjusting algorithm for the nontargeted feature detection of high resolution mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography profile data
Samanipour, Saer, O’Brien, Jake W., Reid, Malcolm J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Self adjusting algorithm for the nontargeted feature detection of high resolution mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography profile data. Analytical Chemistry, 91 (16) acs.analchem.9b02422, 10800-10807. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b02422
2019
Journal Article
A pilot wastewater‐based epidemiology assessment of anabolic steroid use in Queensland, Australia
Shimko, Katja M., O'Brien, Jake W., Barron, Leon, Kayalar, Hasan, Mueller, Jochen F., Tscharke, Ben J., Choi, Phil M., Jiang, Hui, Eaglesham, Geoff and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). A pilot wastewater‐based epidemiology assessment of anabolic steroid use in Queensland, Australia. Drug Testing and Analysis, 11 (7) dta.2591, 937-949. doi: 10.1002/dta.2591
2019
Journal Article
Letter to the editor: Optimism for nontarget analysis in environmental chemistry
Samanipour, Saer, Martin, Jonathan W., Lamoree, Marja H., Reid, Malcolm J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Letter to the editor: Optimism for nontarget analysis in environmental chemistry. Environmental Science & Technology, 53 (10) acs.est.9b01476, 5529-5530. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01476
2019
Journal Article
Oxidative stress potential of the herbicides bifenox and metribuzin in the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Almeida, Ana Catarina, Gomes, Tânia, Langford, Katherine, Thomas, Kevin V. and Tollefsen, Knut Erik (2019). Oxidative stress potential of the herbicides bifenox and metribuzin in the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Aquatic Toxicology, 210, 117-128. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2019.02.021
2019
Journal Article
Per capita loads of organic UV filters in Australian wastewater influent
O'Malley, Elissa, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Ben, Thomas, Kevin and Mueller, Jochen F. (2019). Per capita loads of organic UV filters in Australian wastewater influent. Science of The Total Environment, 662, 134-140. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.140
2019
Journal Article
Trends in nicotine consumption between 2010 and 2017 in an Australian city using the wastewater-based epidemiology approach
Mackie, Rachel S., Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake W., Choi, Phil M., Gartner, Coral E., Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2019). Trends in nicotine consumption between 2010 and 2017 in an Australian city using the wastewater-based epidemiology approach. Environment International, 125, 184-190. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.01.053
2019
Other Outputs
National wastewater drug monitoring program - report 7
Tscharke, B., Reeks, T., Elisei, G., O'Brien, J., Grant, S., Mueller, J., Thomas, K., Ghetia, M., Bade, R., Nguyen, L., Gerber, C. and White, J. (2019). National wastewater drug monitoring program - report 7. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).
2019
Journal Article
Machine learning combined with non-targeted LC-HRMS analysis for a risk warning system of chemical hazards in drinking water: A proof of concept
Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Vijayasarathy, Soumini, Jiang, Hui, Choi, Phil, Reid, Malcolm J., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Machine learning combined with non-targeted LC-HRMS analysis for a risk warning system of chemical hazards in drinking water: A proof of concept. Talanta, 195, 426-432. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.11.039
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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