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)

41 - 60 of 441 works

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

Identifying populations with elevated PFAS exposure by targeted serum sample pooling

Nilsson, Sandra, Braunig, Jennifer, Mueller, Ava, Sontag, Nis-Julius, Langguth, Daman, Kennedy, Carl, Hobson, Peter, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Toms, Leisa-Maree (2025). Identifying populations with elevated PFAS exposure by targeted serum sample pooling. Exposure and Health, 17 (4), 1083-1094. doi: 10.1007/s12403-025-00712-5

Identifying populations with elevated PFAS exposure by targeted serum sample pooling

2025

Journal Article

Release of micro- and nanosized particles from plastic articles during mechanical dishwashing

Okoffo, Elvis D., Tscharke, Ben J. and Thomas, Kevin V (2025). Release of micro- and nanosized particles from plastic articles during mechanical dishwashing. ACS ES&T Water, 5 (6), 2870-2881. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.4c00768

Release of micro- and nanosized particles from plastic articles during mechanical dishwashing

2025

Journal Article

Unearthing the hidden plastic in garden compost

Kaur, Simran, Okoffo, Elvis D., Thomas, Kevin V. and Rauert, Cassandra (2025). Unearthing the hidden plastic in garden compost. Science of the Total Environment, 973 179153, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179153

Unearthing the hidden plastic in garden compost

2025

Journal Article

Quantifying nanoplastics and microplastics in food and beverages using pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: challenges and implications

Jeffries, Coral, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Quantifying nanoplastics and microplastics in food and beverages using pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: challenges and implications. ACS Food Science & Technology, 5 (4), 1536-1545. doi: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c01093

Quantifying nanoplastics and microplastics in food and beverages using pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: challenges and implications

2025

Journal Article

Serum concentrations of PFAS across Australian States and Territories

Nilsson, Sandra, Kucharski, Nathaniel, Orr, Julia, Bräunig, Jennifer, Thompson, Kristie, Jolliet, Olivier, Langguth, Daman, Kennedy, Carl, Hobson, Peter, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Toms, Leisa-Maree (2025). Serum concentrations of PFAS across Australian States and Territories. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 265 114542, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114542

Serum concentrations of PFAS across Australian States and Territories

2025

Journal Article

Occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of antimicrobials and their transformation products in effluent from Australian wastewater treatment plants

Li, Jinglong, O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Ben J., Verhagen, Rory, He, Chang, Shimko, Katja M., Shao, Xueting, Zhai, Naixiang, Hulleman, Tobias, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of antimicrobials and their transformation products in effluent from Australian wastewater treatment plants. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (13), 6825-6838. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c00425

Occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of antimicrobials and their transformation products in effluent from Australian wastewater treatment plants

2025

Journal Article

Occurrence and fate of glyphosate and AMPA in wastewater treatment plants in Australia

Campbell, Garth, Tscharke, Ben J., Prasad, Pritesh, Knight, Emma R., Reeks, Tim, Jackson, Aiko, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Kaserzon, Sarit L. (2025). Occurrence and fate of glyphosate and AMPA in wastewater treatment plants in Australia. Science of The Total Environment, 969 178964, 178964. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178964

Occurrence and fate of glyphosate and AMPA in wastewater treatment plants in Australia

2025

Journal Article

Are microplastics bad for your health? More rigorous science is needed

Xu, Jun-Li, Wright, Stephanie, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Are microplastics bad for your health? More rigorous science is needed. Nature, 639 (8054), 300-302. doi: 10.1038/d41586-025-00702-2

Are microplastics bad for your health? More rigorous science is needed

2025

Journal Article

Accumulation, translocation and transformation of artificial sweeteners in plants: a critical review

Li, Dandan, Xing, Yeye, Li, Li, Yao, Yiming, Li, Yongcheng, Zhu, Hongkai, Du, Peng, Wang, Fang, Yu, Dayang, Yang, Fang, Yao, Zhiliang and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Accumulation, translocation and transformation of artificial sweeteners in plants: a critical review. Environmental Pollution, 366 125517, 125517. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125517

Accumulation, translocation and transformation of artificial sweeteners in plants: a critical review

2025

Journal Article

Assessing the efficacy of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for nanoplastic and microplastic analysis in human blood

Rauert, Cassandra, Charlton, Nathan, Bagley, Angus, Dunlop, Sarah A., Symeonides, Christos and Thomas, Kevin V. (2025). Assessing the efficacy of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for nanoplastic and microplastic analysis in human blood. Environmental Science and Technology, 59 (4), 1984-1994. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.4c12599

Assessing the efficacy of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for nanoplastic and microplastic analysis in human blood

2024

Journal Article

New trends in the environmental analysis of pollutants

de Alda, Miren Lopez, Richardson, Susan D., Thomas, Kevin V. and Thomaidis, Nikolaos S. (2024). New trends in the environmental analysis of pollutants. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 417 (3), 447-449. doi: 10.1007/s00216-024-05695-x

New trends in the environmental analysis of pollutants

2024

Journal Article

National survey of the occurrence of antimicrobial agents in Australian wastewater and their socioeconomic correlates

Li, Jinglong, O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., He, Chang, Shimko, Katja M., Shao, Xueting, Zhai, Naixiang, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). National survey of the occurrence of antimicrobial agents in Australian wastewater and their socioeconomic correlates. Nature Water, 2 (12) 140587, 1166-1177. doi: 10.1038/s44221-024-00349-9

National survey of the occurrence of antimicrobial agents in Australian wastewater and their socioeconomic correlates

2024

Journal Article

Evidence of time dependent degradation of polypropylene surgical mesh explanted from the abdomen and vagina of sheep

Farr, Nicholas T. H., Gregory, David A., Workman, Victoria L., Rauert, Cassandra, Roman, Sabiniano, Knight, Alexander J., Bullock, Anthony J., Tartakovskii, Alexander I., Thomas, Kevin V., Chapple, Christopher R., Deprest, Jan, MacNeil, Sheila and Rodenburg, Cornelia (2024). Evidence of time dependent degradation of polypropylene surgical mesh explanted from the abdomen and vagina of sheep. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 160 106722, 1-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106722

Evidence of time dependent degradation of polypropylene surgical mesh explanted from the abdomen and vagina of sheep

2024

Journal Article

Wastewater‐based evaluation of the efficacy of oxycodone regulations in Australia

Verhagen, Rory, Gerber, Cobus, Thai, Phong K., Connor, Jason, Loveday, Bill, Bade, Richard, O'Brien, Jake, Jaunay, Emma L., Simpson, Bradley S., Chan, Gary, Hall, Wayne, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Benjamin J. (2024). Wastewater‐based evaluation of the efficacy of oxycodone regulations in Australia. Addiction, 119 (12), 2153-2161. doi: 10.1111/add.16653

Wastewater‐based evaluation of the efficacy of oxycodone regulations in Australia

2024

Journal Article

Effect-based water quality assessment in an urban tributary under base flow and storm conditions

Rauert, Cassandra, König, Maria, Neale, Peta A., Thomas, Kevin V. and Escher, Beate I. (2024). Effect-based water quality assessment in an urban tributary under base flow and storm conditions. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 11 (12), 1314-1320. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00866

Effect-based water quality assessment in an urban tributary under base flow and storm conditions

2024

Journal Article

Unscrambling why plastics aren't detectable in chicken eggs

Tariq, Anum, Okoffo, Elvis D., Fenti, Angelo, Fu, Hongrui and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Unscrambling why plastics aren't detectable in chicken eggs. Chemosphere, 367 143584, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143584

Unscrambling why plastics aren't detectable in chicken eggs

2024

Journal Article

Occurrence of ultrashort-chain PFASs in Australian environmental water samples

Ghorbani Gorji, Sara, Mackie, Rachel, Prasad, Pritesh, Knight, Emma R., Qu, Xuan, Vardy, Suzanne, Bowles, Karl, Higgins, Christopher P., Thomas, Kevin V. and Kaserzon, Sarit L. (2024). Occurrence of ultrashort-chain PFASs in Australian environmental water samples. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 11 (12), 1362-1369. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00750

Occurrence of ultrashort-chain PFASs in Australian environmental water samples

2024

Journal Article

How do plastics, including microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals, affect human health?

Seewoo, Bhedita J., Goodes, Louise M., Thomas, Kevin V., Rauert, Cassandra, Elagali, Ahmed, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Symeonides, Christos and Dunlop, Sarah A. (2024). How do plastics, including microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals, affect human health?. Nature Medicine, 30 (11), 3036-3037. doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-03287-x

How do plastics, including microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals, affect human 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

    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

    Assessing microplastic inputs from ships

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassandra Rauert

  • Doctor Philosophy

    PM2.5 and plastics pollution in Delhi: Sources, characterization and atmospheric transport modeling

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Cassandra Rauert

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Human exposure and accumulation of plastics

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: 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

    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

  • 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

    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

    AMR in food producing environments (Ref: 5529)

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: 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

    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

    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

    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

    Emerging contaminants in Food Contact Materials, analysis policy and regulation

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The suitability of wastewater-based epidemiology for AMR surveillance

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien

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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