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 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

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

387 works between 1995 and 2025
All (387) Journal Article (347) Book Chapter (10) Conference Publication (25) Other Outputs (5)

241 - 260 of 387 works

2017

Conference Publication

Finding population and demographic markers in wastewater using samples collected during a population census

O'Brien, Jake, Grant, Sharon, Thai, Phong, Ort, Christoph, Eaglesham, Geoff, Vijayasarathy, Soumini, Lai, Foon Yin, Covaci, Adrian, Novic, Andrew, Tscharke, Ben, Choi, Phil, Thomas, Kevin and Mueller, Jochen (2017). Finding population and demographic markers in wastewater using samples collected during a population census. Testing the Waters 2017: 3rd International conference on “Wastewater – Based Drug Epidemiology”, Lisbon, Portugal, 26-27 October 2017.

Finding population and demographic markers in wastewater using samples collected during a population census

2017

Conference Publication

Towards monitoring population food consumption and dietary status using wastewater based epidemiology

Choi, Phil M. , O'Brien, Jake W. , Tscharke, Ben , Mackie, Rachel , Eaglesham, Geoff , Grant, Sharon , Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2017). Towards monitoring population food consumption and dietary status using wastewater based epidemiology. 13th Annual Conference of the Metabolomics Society, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia, 26-29 June 2017.

Towards monitoring population food consumption and dietary status using wastewater based epidemiology

2017

Conference Publication

Can wastewater-based epidemiology be used for the assessment of anabolic steroid use?

Shimko, Katja, O'Brien, Jake, Kayalar, Hasan, Choi, Phil, Jiang, Hui, Tscharke, Ben, Zahnow, Renee, Eaglesham, Geoff, Mueller, Jochen, Barron, Leon and Thomas, Kevin (2017). Can wastewater-based epidemiology be used for the assessment of anabolic steroid use?. Qld Annual Chemistry Symposium, Brisbane, Australia, 27 November 2017.

Can wastewater-based epidemiology be used for the assessment of anabolic steroid use?

2016

Journal Article

Increased levels of the oxidative stress biomarker 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α in wastewater associated with tobacco use

Ryu, Yeonsuk, Gracia-Lor, Emma, Bade, Richard, Baz-Lomba, J. A., Bramness, Jorgen G., Castiglioni, Sara, Castrignano, Erika, Causanilles, Ana, Covaci, Adrian, de Voogt, Pim, Hernandez, Felix, Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara, Kinyua, Juliet, McCall, Ann-Kathrin, Ort, Christoph, Plosz, Benedek G., Ramin, Pedram, Rousis, Nikolaos I., Reid, Malcolm J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). Increased levels of the oxidative stress biomarker 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α in wastewater associated with tobacco use. Scientific Reports, 6 (39055) 39055. doi: 10.1038/srep39055

Increased levels of the oxidative stress biomarker 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α in wastewater associated with tobacco use

2016

Journal Article

Plastic ingestion by Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Norwegian coast

Brate, Inger Lise N., Eidsvoll, David P., Steindal, Calin Constantin and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). Plastic ingestion by Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Norwegian coast. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 112 (1-2), 105-110. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.08.034

Plastic ingestion by Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Norwegian coast

2016

Journal Article

Comparison of pharmaceutical, illicit drug, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine levels in wastewater with sale, seizure and consumption data for 8 European cities

Baz-Lomba, Jose Antonio, Salvatore, Stefania, Gracia-Lor, Emma, Bade, Richard, Castiglioni, Sara, Castrignano, Erika, Causanilles, Ana, Hernandez, Felix, Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara, Kinyua, Juliet, McCall, Ann-Kathrin, van Nuijs, Alexander, Ort, Christoph, Plosz, Benedek G., Ramin, Pedram, Reid, Malcolm, Rousis, Nikolaos I., Ryu, Yeonsuk, de Voogt, Pim, Bramness, Jorgen and Thomas, Kevin (2016). Comparison of pharmaceutical, illicit drug, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine levels in wastewater with sale, seizure and consumption data for 8 European cities. BMC Public Health, 16 (1035) 1035, 1-11. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3686-5

Comparison of pharmaceutical, illicit drug, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine levels in wastewater with sale, seizure and consumption data for 8 European cities

2016

Journal Article

Comparative measurement and quantitative risk assessment of alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: an international study in 20 cities

Ryu, Yeonsuk, Barcelo, Damià, Barron, Leon P., Bijlsma, Lubertus, Castiglioni, Sara, de Voogt, Pim, Emke, Erik, Hernandez, Félix, Lai, Foon Yin, Lopes, Alvaro, de Alda, Miren López, Mastroianni, Nicola, Munro, Kelly, O'Brien, Jake, Ort, Christoph, Plosz, Benedek G., Reid, Malcolm J., Yargeau, Viviane and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). Comparative measurement and quantitative risk assessment of alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: an international study in 20 cities. Science of the Total Environment, 565, 977-983. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.138

Comparative measurement and quantitative risk assessment of alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: an international study in 20 cities

2016

Journal Article

Identification of markers of cancer in urban sewage through the use of a suspect screening approach

Ferrando-Climent, Laura, Reid, Malcolm J., Rodriguez-Mozaz, Sara, Barcelo, Damia and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). Identification of markers of cancer in urban sewage through the use of a suspect screening approach. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 129, 571-580. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2016.08.001

Identification of markers of cancer in urban sewage through the use of a suspect screening approach

2016

Journal Article

A two stage algorithm for target and suspect analysis of produced water via gas chromatography coupled with high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry

Samanipour, Saer, Langford, Katherine, Reid, Malcolm J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). A two stage algorithm for target and suspect analysis of produced water via gas chromatography coupled with high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, 1463, 153-161. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2016.07.076

A two stage algorithm for target and suspect analysis of produced water via gas chromatography coupled with high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry

2016

Journal Article

Wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor synthetic cathinones use in different European countries

Gonzalez-Marino, Iria, Gracia-Lor, Emma, Rousis, Nikolaos I., Castrignano, Erika, Thomas, Kevin V., Benito Quintana, Jose, Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara, Zuccato, Ettore and Castiglioni, Sara (2016). Wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor synthetic cathinones use in different European countries. Environmental Science and Technology, 50 (18), 10089-10096. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02644

Wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor synthetic cathinones use in different European countries

2016

Journal Article

Enantioselective simultaneous analysis of selected pharmaceuticals in environmental samples by ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid based chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Camacho-Munoz, Dolores, Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). Enantioselective simultaneous analysis of selected pharmaceuticals in environmental samples by ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid based chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Analytica Chimica Acta, 934, 239-251. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.05.051

Enantioselective simultaneous analysis of selected pharmaceuticals in environmental samples by ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid based chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

2016

Journal Article

The first attempt at non-linear in silico prediction of sampling rates for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS)

Miller, Thomas H., Baz-Lomba, Jose A., Harman, Christopher, Reid, Malcolm J., Owen, Stewart F., Bury, Nicolas R., Thomas, Kevin V. and Barron, Leon P. (2016). The first attempt at non-linear in silico prediction of sampling rates for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS). Environmental Science and Technology, 50 (15), 7973-7981. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b01407

The first attempt at non-linear in silico prediction of sampling rates for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS)

2016

Journal Article

Tralopyril bioconcentration and effects on the gill proteome of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Oliveira, Isabel B., Groh, Ksenia J., Stadnicka-Michalak, Julita, Schonenberger, Rene, Beiras, Ricardo, Barroso, Carlos M., Langford, Katherine H., Thomas, Kevin V. and Suter, Marc J. -F. (2016). Tralopyril bioconcentration and effects on the gill proteome of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Aquatic Toxicology, 177, 198-210. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2016.05.026

Tralopyril bioconcentration and effects on the gill proteome of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

2016

Journal Article

Identification of petrogenic produced water components as acetylcholine esterase inhibitors

Froment, Jean, Langford, Katherine, Tollefsen, Knut Erik, Brate, Inger Lise N., Brooks, Steven J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). Identification of petrogenic produced water components as acetylcholine esterase inhibitors. Environmental Pollution, 215, 18-26. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.05.004

Identification of petrogenic produced water components as acetylcholine esterase inhibitors

2016

Journal Article

Automated high-throughput in vitro screening of the acetylcholine esterase inhibiting potential of environmental samples, mixtures and single compounds

Froment, Jean, Thomas, Kevin V. and Tollefsen, Knut Erik (2016). Automated high-throughput in vitro screening of the acetylcholine esterase inhibiting potential of environmental samples, mixtures and single compounds. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 130, 74-80. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.04.005

Automated high-throughput in vitro screening of the acetylcholine esterase inhibiting potential of environmental samples, mixtures and single compounds

2016

Journal Article

Target and suspect screening of psychoactive substances in sewage-based samples by UHPLC-QTOF

Baz-Lomba, J. A., Reid, Malcolm J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2016). Target and suspect screening of psychoactive substances in sewage-based samples by UHPLC-QTOF. Analytica Chimica Acta, 914, 81-90. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.01.056

Target and suspect screening of psychoactive substances in sewage-based samples by UHPLC-QTOF

2016

Conference Publication

A modelling approach to estimate the number of people contributing to a wastewater sample using population biomarkers

O'Brien, Jake, Thai, Phong, Ort, Christoph, Thomas, Kevin, Reid, Malcolm, Baz Lomba, José Antonio, Lai, Foon Yin and Mueller, Jochen (2016). A modelling approach to estimate the number of people contributing to a wastewater sample using population biomarkers. 2016 Annual Meeting of the International Society of Exposure Sicence, Utrecht, Netherlands, 9 - 13 October 2016. Herndon, VA, United States: International Society of Exposure Science.

A modelling approach to estimate the number of people contributing to a wastewater sample using population biomarkers

2016

Book Chapter

Pharmaceuticals in the marine environment

Gaw, Sally, Thomas, Kevin and Hutchinson, Thomas H. (2016). Pharmaceuticals in the marine environment. Pharmaceuticals in the environment. (pp. 70-91) edited by R. E. Hester and R. M. Harrison. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Royal Society of Chemistry. doi: 10.1039/9781782622345-00070

Pharmaceuticals in the marine environment

2015

Journal Article

Recommendations for the inclusion of targeted testing to improve the regulatory environmental risk assessment of veterinary medicines used in aquaculture

Lillicrap, Adam, Macken, Ailbhe and Thomas, Kevin V. (2015). Recommendations for the inclusion of targeted testing to improve the regulatory environmental risk assessment of veterinary medicines used in aquaculture. Environment International, 85, 1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.07.019

Recommendations for the inclusion of targeted testing to improve the regulatory environmental risk assessment of veterinary medicines used in aquaculture

2015

Journal Article

Impact of TiO2 nanoparticles on freshwater bacteria from three Swedish lakes

Farkas, Julia, Peter, Hannes, Ciesielski, Tomasz M., Thomas, Kevin V., Sommaruga, Ruben, Salvenmoser, Willi, Weyhenmeyer, Gesa A., Tranvik, Lars J. and Jenssen, Bjorn M. (2015). Impact of TiO2 nanoparticles on freshwater bacteria from three Swedish lakes. Science of the Total Environment, 535, 85-93. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.043

Impact of TiO2 nanoparticles on freshwater bacteria from three Swedish lakes

Current 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
  • 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
  • 2022 - 2027
    ARC Training Centre in Bioplastics and Biocomposites
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
    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
  • 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

Past funding

  • 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 - 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

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Available projects for prospective PhD students

    Projects are available arounf four broad themes.

    • 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

  • Available projects for prospective PhD students

    Projects are available around four broad themes.

    • 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

  • Innovative Analytical Techniques for Detecting and Quantifying Oligomers in Environmental Matrices

    Project summary: Develop and validate advanced analytical methods for the detection, identification, and quantification of oligomers in various environmental matrices.

  • Available projects for prospective PhD students

    Projects are available around four broad themes.

    • 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