Professor Kevin Thomas
Professor

Kevin Thomas

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 32443

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

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

441 works between 1995 and 2026
All (441) Journal Article (395) Other Outputs (5) Conference Publication (30) Book Chapter (11)

301 - 320 of 441 works

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

2015

Journal Article

Transition from shear to stress-assisted diffusion of copper-chromium nanolayered thin films at elevated temperatures

Raghavan, R., Wheeler, J. M., Harzer, T. P., Chawla, V., Djaziri, S., Thomas, K., Philippi, B., Kirchlechner, C., Jaya, B. N., Wehrs, J., Michler, J. and Dehm, G. (2015). Transition from shear to stress-assisted diffusion of copper-chromium nanolayered thin films at elevated temperatures. Acta Materialia, 100, 73-80. doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2015.08.016

Transition from shear to stress-assisted diffusion of copper-chromium nanolayered thin films at elevated temperatures

2015

Journal Article

Wastewater-based epidemiology of stimulant drugs: functional data analysis compared to traditional statistical methods

Salvatore, Stefania, Bramness, Jørgen Gustav, Reid, Malcolm J., Thomas, Kevin Victor, Harman, Christopher and Røislien, Jo (2015). Wastewater-based epidemiology of stimulant drugs: functional data analysis compared to traditional statistical methods. PLoS One, 10 (9) e0138669, e0138669. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138669

Wastewater-based epidemiology of stimulant drugs: functional data analysis compared to traditional statistical methods

2015

Journal Article

Bioaccumulation and biological effects of cigarette litter in marine worms

Wright, Stephanie L., Rowe, Darren, Reid, Malcolm J., Thomas, Kevin V. and Galloway, Tamara S. (2015). Bioaccumulation and biological effects of cigarette litter in marine worms. Scientific Reports, 5 (1) 14119. doi: 10.1038/srep14119

Bioaccumulation and biological effects of cigarette litter in marine worms

2015

Journal Article

Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry with immunoaffinity clean-up for the determination of the oxidative stress biomarker 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha in wastewater

Ryu, Yeonsuk, Reid, Malcolm J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2015). Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry with immunoaffinity clean-up for the determination of the oxidative stress biomarker 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha in wastewater. Journal of Chromatography A, 1409, 146-151. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2015.07.060

Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry with immunoaffinity clean-up for the determination of the oxidative stress biomarker 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha in wastewater

2015

Journal Article

Environmental occurrence and risk of organic UV filters and stabilizers in multiple matrices in Norway

Langford, Katherine H., Reid, Malcolm J., Fjeld, Eirik, Oxnevad, Sigurd and Thomas, Kevin V. (2015). Environmental occurrence and risk of organic UV filters and stabilizers in multiple matrices in Norway. Environment International, 80, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.03.012

Environmental occurrence and risk of organic UV filters and stabilizers in multiple matrices in Norway

2015

Journal Article

Community sewage sensors for monitoring public health

Yang, Zhugen, Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara, Frost, Christopher G., Estrela, Pedro and Thomas, Kevin V. (2015). Community sewage sensors for monitoring public health. Environmental Science and Technology, 49 (10), 5845-5846. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b01434

Community sewage sensors for monitoring public health

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
  • 2023
    Performance and Image Enhancing Substances in Wastewater
    Sport Integrity Australia
    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

  • 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

Enquiries

Contact Professor Kevin Thomas directly for media enquiries about:

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

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