Overview
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
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
Concentration and distribution of naphthenic acids in the produced water from offshore Norwegian North Sea oilfields
Samanipour, Saer, Reid, Malcolm J., Rundberget, Jan Thomas, Frost, Tone K. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Concentration and distribution of naphthenic acids in the produced water from offshore Norwegian North Sea oilfields. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (5) acs.est.9b05784, 2707-2714. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05784
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
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. 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
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring antimicrobial resistance in Australian wastewater
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Professor Jianhua Guo
-
Doctor Philosophy
Microplastics pollution in water systems: Issues and Treatment
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Elvis Okoffo
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing dietary exposure to plastics and associated chemicals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Antibiotics and other chemicals that select for antimicrobial resistance in Australian wastewater
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
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
-
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 Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
PM2.5 and plastics pollution in Delhi: Sources, characterization and atmospheric transport modeling
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie 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
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 Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Emerging contaminants in Food Contact Materials, analysis policy and regulation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
Doctor Philosophy
Fate and behaviour of neonicotinoids in Australian aquatic environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sara Ghorbani Gorji, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
Doctor Philosophy
Human exposure and fate of micro/nanoplastics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert, Dr Taskeen Janjua Khan
-
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, Associate Professor Phong Thai
-
Doctor Philosophy
DETERMINATION OF MICRO AND NANOPLASTICS IN BREAST MILK, BLOOD AND MECONIUM SAMPLES FROM MOTHERS-INFANTS IN AUSTRALIA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert
-
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 Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
The suitability of wastewater-based epidemiology for AMR surveillance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
Developing the framework for a national wastewater antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use surveillance method
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 Cassie Rauert, 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 Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Reducing glyphosate exposure from high use practices
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Dr Sara Ghorbani Gorji, Professor Bhagirath Chauhan, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
Doctor Philosophy
Human exposure and accumulation of plastics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Emerging contaminants in Food Organics and Garden Organic (FOGO) materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sara Ghorbani Gorji, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon
-
-
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
Completed supervision
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
An assessment of plastic residues in Australian biosolids
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien
-
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
-
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, 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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