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)

61 - 80 of 387 works

2023

Journal Article

Use of artificial sweeteners and caffeine in a population of Hanoi: an assessment by wastewater-based epidemiology

Li, Dandan, Zheng, Qiuda, Thomas, Kevin V., Dang, Anh Kim, Binh, Vu Ngan, Anh, Nguyen Thi Kieu and Thai, Phong K. (2023). Use of artificial sweeteners and caffeine in a population of Hanoi: an assessment by wastewater-based epidemiology. Science of The Total Environment, 868 161515, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161515

Use of artificial sweeteners and caffeine in a population of Hanoi: an assessment by wastewater-based epidemiology

2023

Journal Article

The measurement of food safety and security risks associated with micro- and nanoplastic pollution

Nelis, Joost L.D., Schacht, Veronika J., Dawson, Amanda L., Bose, Utpal, Tsagkaris, Aristeidis S., Dvorakova, Darina, Beale, David J., Can, Ali, Elliott, Christopher T., Thomas, Kevin V. and Broadbent, James A. (2023). The measurement of food safety and security risks associated with micro- and nanoplastic pollution. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 161 116993, 1-21. doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.116993

The measurement of food safety and security risks associated with micro- and nanoplastic pollution

2023

Journal Article

Assessment of background plastics contamination from human respiratory tract sample collection vessels

Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra, Boots, Robert, Fielding, David, Bashiradeh, Farzard, Singh, Mahendra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Assessment of background plastics contamination from human respiratory tract sample collection vessels. Water Emerging Contaminants and Nanoplastics, 1 (1) 4, 1-9. doi: 10.20517/wecn.2022.22

Assessment of background plastics contamination from human respiratory tract sample collection vessels

2023

Journal Article

Wastewater surveillance can function as an early warning system for COVID-19 in low-incidence settings

Assoum, Mohamad, Lau, Colleen L., Thai, Phong K., Ahmed, Warish, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V., Choi, Phil Min, Jackson, Greg and Selvey, Linda A. (2023). Wastewater surveillance can function as an early warning system for COVID-19 in low-incidence settings. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 8 (4) 211, 1-10. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040211

Wastewater surveillance can function as an early warning system for COVID-19 in low-incidence settings

2023

Journal Article

Increased nicotine consumption in Australia during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Thai, Phong K, Tscharke, Benjamin J, O’Brien, Jake, Gartner, Coral, Bade, Richard, Gerber, Cobus, White, Jason M, Zheng, Qiuda, Wang, Zhe, Thomas, Kevin V and Mueller, Jochen F (2023). Increased nicotine consumption in Australia during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 25 (6), 1194-1197. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntac275

Increased nicotine consumption in Australia during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic

2023

Journal Article

A wastewater‐based evaluation of the effectiveness of codeine control measures in Australia

Tscharke, Benjamin J., O’Brien, Jake W., Ahmed, Fahad, Ngyuen, Lynn, Ghetia, Maulik, Chan, Gary, Thai, Phong, Gerber, Cobus, Bade, Richard, Mueller, Jochen, Thomas, Kevin V., White, Jason and Hall, Wayne (2023). A wastewater‐based evaluation of the effectiveness of codeine control measures in Australia. Addiction, 118 (3), 480-488. doi: 10.1111/add.16083

A wastewater‐based evaluation of the effectiveness of codeine control measures in Australia

2023

Journal Article

Impact of sewer biofilms on fate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and wastewater surveillance

Li, Jiaying, Ahmed, Warish, Metcalfe, Suzanne, Smith, Wendy J. M., Choi, Phil M., Jackson, Greg, Cen, Xiaotong, Zheng, Min, Simpson, Stuart L., Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2023). Impact of sewer biofilms on fate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and wastewater surveillance. Nature Water, 1 (3), 272-280. doi: 10.1038/s44221-023-00033-4

Impact of sewer biofilms on fate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and wastewater surveillance

2023

Journal Article

There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere

O'Brien, Stacey, Rauert, Cassandra, Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., Burrows, Stephen D., O'Brien, Jake W., Wang, Xianyu, Wright, Stephanie L. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere. Science of the Total Environment, 874 162193, 1-33. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162193

There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere

2023

Journal Article

In-sample stability of 52 performance- and image-enhancing drug biomarkers in wastewater

Shimko, Katja M., O’Brien, Jake W., Lin, Xialu, Tscharke, Benjamin J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). In-sample stability of 52 performance- and image-enhancing drug biomarkers in wastewater. ACS ES and T Water, 3 (3), 669-678. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00393

In-sample stability of 52 performance- and image-enhancing drug biomarkers in wastewater

2023

Journal Article

Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban waters

Ni, Bing-Jie, Thomas, Kevin V. and Kim, Eun-Ju (2023). Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban waters. Water Research, 229 119473, 119473. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119473

Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban waters

2023

Journal Article

Mass quantification of microplastic at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Mass quantification of microplastic at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Science of the Total Environment, 856 (Part 2) 159251, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159251

Mass quantification of microplastic at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

2023

Journal Article

National wastewater reconnaissance of analgesic consumption in Australia

Ahmed, Fahad, Tscharke, Benjamin, O’Brien, Jake W., Hall, Wayne D., Cabot, Peter J., Sowa, P. Marcin, Samanipour, Saer and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). National wastewater reconnaissance of analgesic consumption in Australia. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (4), 1712-1720. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06691

National wastewater reconnaissance of analgesic consumption in Australia

2022

Journal Article

Tyre additive chemicals, tyre road wear particles and high production polymers in surface water at 5 urban centres in Queensland, Australia

Rauert, Cassandra, Vardy, Suzanne, Daniell, Benjamin, Charlton, Nathan and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Tyre additive chemicals, tyre road wear particles and high production polymers in surface water at 5 urban centres in Queensland, Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 852 158468, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158468

Tyre additive chemicals, tyre road wear particles and high production polymers in surface water at 5 urban centres in Queensland, Australia

2022

Journal Article

From molecular descriptors to intrinsic fish toxicity of chemicals: An alternative approach to chemical prioritization

Samanipour, Saer, O’Brien, Jake W., Reid, Malcolm J., Thomas, Kevin V. and Praetorius, Antonia (2022). From molecular descriptors to intrinsic fish toxicity of chemicals: An alternative approach to chemical prioritization. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (46), 17950-17958. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07353

From molecular descriptors to intrinsic fish toxicity of chemicals: An alternative approach to chemical prioritization

2022

Journal Article

Efficient removal of perfluorinated chemicals from contaminated water sources using magnetic fluorinated polymer sorbents

Tan, Xiao, Dewapriya, Pradeep, Prasad, Pritesh, Chang, Yixin, Huang, Xumin, Wang, Yiqing, Gong, Xiaokai, Hopkins, Timothy E., Fu, Changkui, Thomas, Kevin V., Peng, Hui, Whittaker, Andrew Keith and Zhang, Cheng (2022). Efficient removal of perfluorinated chemicals from contaminated water sources using magnetic fluorinated polymer sorbents. Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), 61 (49) e202213071, e202213071. doi: 10.1002/anie.202213071

Efficient removal of perfluorinated chemicals from contaminated water sources using magnetic fluorinated polymer sorbents

2022

Journal Article

Efficient removal of perfluorinated chemicals from contaminated water sources using magnetic fluorinated polymer sorbents

Tan, Xiao, Dewapriya, Pradeep, Prasad, Pritesh, Chang, Yixin, Huang, Xumin, Wang, Yiqing, Gong, Xiaokai, Hopkins, Timothy E., Fu, Changkui, Thomas, Kevin V., Peng, Hui, Whittaker, Andrew K. and Zhang, Cheng (2022). Efficient removal of perfluorinated chemicals from contaminated water sources using magnetic fluorinated polymer sorbents. Angewandte Chemie, 134 (49) e202213071, 1-9. doi: 10.1002/ange.202213071

Efficient removal of perfluorinated chemicals from contaminated water sources using magnetic fluorinated polymer sorbents

2022

Conference Publication

Non-target screening of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cattle exposed to AFFF-contaminated groundwater

Dewapriya, Pradeep, Bräunig, Jennifer, Donaldson, Eric, Mueller, Jochen F., Kaserzon, Sarit and Thomas, Kevin (2022). Non-target screening of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cattle exposed to AFFF-contaminated groundwater. Queensland Mass Spectrometry Symposium 2022, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 1-2 December 2022.

Non-target screening of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cattle exposed to AFFF-contaminated groundwater

2022

Journal Article

Short depuration of oysters intended for human consumption is sffective at reducing exposure to nanoplastics

Ribeiro, Francisca, Mitrano, Denise M., Hacker, Christian, Cherek, Paulina, Brigden, Kevin, Kaserzon, Sarit Leat, Thomas, Kevin V. and Galloway, Tamara S. (2022). Short depuration of oysters intended for human consumption is sffective at reducing exposure to nanoplastics. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (23), 16716-16725. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02269

Short depuration of oysters intended for human consumption is sffective at reducing exposure to nanoplastics

2022

Journal Article

Characterization of glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in the urine of Australian and New Zealand populations

Campbell, Garth, Mannetje, Andrea, Keer, Samuel, Eaglesham, Geoff, Wang, Xianyu, Lin, Chun-Yin, Hobson, Peter, Toms, Leisa-Maree, Douwes, Jeroen, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Kaserzon, Sarit (2022). Characterization of glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in the urine of Australian and New Zealand populations. Science of the Total Environment, 847 157585, 1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157585

Characterization of glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in the urine of Australian and New Zealand populations

2022

Journal Article

Thermally stable nanotwins: new heights for Cu mechanics

Edwards, Thomas Edward James, Rohbeck, Nadia, Huszár, Emese, Thomas, Keith, Putz, Barbara, Polyakov, Mikhail Nikolayevich, Maeder, Xavier, Pethö, Laszlo and Michler, Johann (2022). Thermally stable nanotwins: new heights for Cu mechanics. Advanced Science, 9 (34) 2203544, 1-10. doi: 10.1002/advs.202203544

Thermally stable nanotwins: new heights for Cu mechanics

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

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