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 350 peer-reviewed papers Kevin is a strong collaborative researcher having co-founded the Plastic Measurement Brains Trust (PMBT).

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

425 works between 1995 and 2026
All (425) Journal Article (379) Other Outputs (5) Conference Publication (30) Book Chapter (11)

181 - 200 of 425 works

2020

Journal Article

In vitro biotransformation and evaluation of potential transformation products of chlorinated paraffins by high resolution accurate mass spectrometry

He, Chang, van Mourik, Louise, Tang, Shaoyu, Thai, Phong, Wang, Xianyu, Brandsma, Sicco H., Leonards, Pim E.G., Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2020). In vitro biotransformation and evaluation of potential transformation products of chlorinated paraffins by high resolution accurate mass spectrometry. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 405 124245, 124245. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124245

In vitro biotransformation and evaluation of potential transformation products of chlorinated paraffins by high resolution accurate mass spectrometry

2020

Journal Article

Correction to Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., O’Brien, Jake W., Fraissinet-Tachet, Sarah, O’Brien, Stacey, Gallen, Michael, Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Mueller, Jochen F., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Correction to Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Environmental Science & Technology, 54 (20), 13364-13364. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05885

Correction to Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

2020

Journal Article

National wastewater reconnaissance of artificial sweetener consumption and emission in Australia

Li, Dandan, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Choi, Phil M., Zheng, Qiuda, Ahmed, Fahad, Thompson, Jack, Li, Jiaying, Mueller, Jochen F., Sun, Hongwen and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). National wastewater reconnaissance of artificial sweetener consumption and emission in Australia. Environment International, 143 105963, 105963. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105963

National wastewater reconnaissance of artificial sweetener consumption and emission in Australia

2020

Journal Article

Time-integrative passive sampling of very hydrophilic chemicals in wastewater influent

Verhagen, Rory, Kaserzon, Sarit L., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Shukla, Pradeep, Clokey, Joseph, Vrana, Branislav, Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2020). Time-integrative passive sampling of very hydrophilic chemicals in wastewater influent. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 7 (11) acs.estlett.0c00685, 848-853. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00685

Time-integrative passive sampling of very hydrophilic chemicals in wastewater influent

2020

Journal Article

Can wastewater analysis be used as a tool to assess the burden of pain treatment within a population?

Ahmed, Fahad, Tscharke, Benjamin, O'Brien, Jake W., Cabot, Peter J., Hall, Wayne D., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Can wastewater analysis be used as a tool to assess the burden of pain treatment within a population?. Environmental Research, 188 109769, 109769. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109769

Can wastewater analysis be used as a tool to assess the burden of pain treatment within a population?

2020

Journal Article

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater: methods optimisation and quality control are crucial for generating reliable public health information

Ahmed, Warish, Bivins, Aaron, Bertsch, Paul M., Bibby, Kyle, Choi, Phil M., Farkas, Kata, Gyawali, Pradip, Hamilton, Kerry A., Haramoto, Eiji, Kitajima, Masaaki, Simpson, Stuart L., Tandukar, Sarmila, Thomas, Kevin and Mueller, Jochen F. (2020). Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater: methods optimisation and quality control are crucial for generating reliable public health information. Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health, 17 100209, 100209-93. doi: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.09.003

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater: methods optimisation and quality control are crucial for generating reliable public health information

2020

Journal Article

Expanding exploration of dynamic microplastic surface characteristics and interactions

Burrows, Stephen D., Frustaci, Simona, Thomas, Kevin V. and Galloway, Tamara (2020). Expanding exploration of dynamic microplastic surface characteristics and interactions. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 130 115993, 115993. doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.115993

Expanding exploration of dynamic microplastic surface characteristics and interactions

2020

Journal Article

Towards an efficient method for the extraction and analysis of cannabinoids in wastewater

Pandopulos, Aaron J., Bade, Richard, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin, White, Jason M. and Gerber, Cobus (2020). Towards an efficient method for the extraction and analysis of cannabinoids in wastewater. Talanta, 217 121034, 121034. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121034

Towards an efficient method for the extraction and analysis of cannabinoids in wastewater

2020

Journal Article

Corrigendum to “Enantiomeric profiling of quinolones and quinolones resistance gene qnrS in European wastewaters” [Water Res. 175 (2020) 115653] (Water Research (2020) 175, (S0043135420301895), (10.1016/j.watres.2020.115653))

Castrignano, Erika, Yang, Zhugen, Feil, Edward J., Bade, Richard, Castiglioni, Sara, Causanilles, Ana, Gracia-Lor, Emma, Hernandez, Felix, Plόszi, Benedek G., Ramin, Pedram, Rousis, Nikolaos I., Ryu, Yeonsuk, Thomas, Kevin V., de Voogt, Pim, Zuccato, Ettore and Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara (2020). Corrigendum to “Enantiomeric profiling of quinolones and quinolones resistance gene qnrS in European wastewaters” [Water Res. 175 (2020) 115653] (Water Research (2020) 175, (S0043135420301895), (10.1016/j.watres.2020.115653)). Water Research, 182 116345, 116345. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116345

Corrigendum to “Enantiomeric profiling of quinolones and quinolones resistance gene qnrS in European wastewaters” [Water Res. 175 (2020) 115653] (Water Research (2020) 175, (S0043135420301895), (10.1016/j.watres.2020.115653))

2020

Journal Article

Determining changes in new psychoactive substance use in Australia by wastewater analysis

Bade, Richard, White, Jason M., Nguyen, Lynn, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Mueller, Jochen F., O'Brien, Jake W., Thomas, Kevin V. and Gerber, Cobus (2020). Determining changes in new psychoactive substance use in Australia by wastewater analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 731 139209, 139209. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139209

Determining changes in new psychoactive substance use in Australia by wastewater analysis

2020

Journal Article

First confirmed detection of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewater in Australia: a proof of concept for the wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 in the community

Ahmed, Warish, Angel, Nicola, Edson, Janette, Bibby, Kyle, Bivins, Aaron, O'Brien, Jake W., Choi, Phil M., Kitajima, Masaaki, Simpson, Stuart L., Li, Jiaying, Tscharke, Ben, Verhagen, Rory, Smith, Wendy J.M., Zaugg, Julian, Dierens, Leanne, Hugenholtz, Philip, Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2020). First confirmed detection of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewater in Australia: a proof of concept for the wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 in the community. Science of the Total Environment, 728 138764, 138764. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138764

First confirmed detection of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewater in Australia: a proof of concept for the wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 in the community

2020

Journal Article

Urinary concentrations of bisphenols in the Australian population and their association with the per capita mass loads in wastewater

Tang, Shaoyu, He, Chang, Thai, Phong K., Heffernan, Amy, Vijayasarathy, Soumini, Toms, Leisa, Thompson, Kristie, Hobson, Peter, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O’Brien, Jake W., Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2020). Urinary concentrations of bisphenols in the Australian population and their association with the per capita mass loads in wastewater. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (16) acs.est.0c00921, 10141-10148. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00921

Urinary concentrations of bisphenols in the Australian population and their association with the per capita mass loads in wastewater

2020

Journal Article

Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., O'Brien, Jake W., Fraissinet-Tachet, Sarah, O'Brien, Stacey, Gallen, Michael, Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Mueller, Jochen F., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Environmental Science & Technology, 54 (15) acs.est.0c02337, 9408-9417. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02337

Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

2020

Journal Article

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in commercial passenger aircraft and cruise ship wastewater: a surveillance tool for assessing the presence of COVID-19 infected travelers

Ahmed, Warish, Bertsch, Paul M., Angel, Nicola, Bibby, Kyle, Bivins, Aaron, Dierens, Leanne, Edson, Janette, Ehret, John, Gyawali, Pradip, Hamilton, Kerry, Hosegood, Ian, Hugenholtz, Philip, Jiang, Guangming, Kitajima, Masaaki, Sichani, Homa T., Shi, Jiahua, Shimko, Katja M., Simpson, Stuart L., Smith, Wendy J. M., Symonds, Erin M., Thomas, Kevin V., Verhagen, Rory, Zaugg, Julian and Mueller, Jochen F (2020). Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in commercial passenger aircraft and cruise ship wastewater: a surveillance tool for assessing the presence of COVID-19 infected travelers. Journal of Travel Medicine, 27 (5) taaa116, 1-11. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaa116

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in commercial passenger aircraft and cruise ship wastewater: a surveillance tool for assessing the presence of COVID-19 infected travelers

2020

Journal Article

Population socioeconomics predicted using wastewater

Choi, Phil M., O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Ben J., Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Samanipour, Saer (2020). Population socioeconomics predicted using wastewater. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 7 (8) acs.estlett.0c00392, 567-572. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00392

Population socioeconomics predicted using wastewater

2020

Journal Article

Assessment of human exposure to selected pesticides in Norway by wastewater analysis

Rousis, Nikolaos I., Gracia-Lor, Emma, Reid, Malcolm J., Baz-Lomba, Jose Antonio, Ryu, Yeonsuk, Zuccato, Ettore, Thomas, Kevin V. and Castiglioni, Sara (2020). Assessment of human exposure to selected pesticides in Norway by wastewater analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 723 138132, 138132. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138132

Assessment of human exposure to selected pesticides in Norway by wastewater analysis

2020

Journal Article

Enantiomeric profiling of quinolones and quinolones resistance gene qnrS in European wastewaters

Castrignanò, Erika, Yang, Zhugen, Feil, Edward J., Bade, Richard, Castiglioni, Sara, Causanilles, Ana, Gracia-Lor, Emma, Hernandez, Felix, Plósz, Benedek G., Ramin, Pedram, Rousis, Nikolaos I., Ryu, Yeonsuk, Thomas, Kevin V., de Voogt, Pim, Zuccato, Ettore and Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara (2020). Enantiomeric profiling of quinolones and quinolones resistance gene qnrS in European wastewaters. Water Research, 175 115653, 115653. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115653

Enantiomeric profiling of quinolones and quinolones resistance gene qnrS in European wastewaters

2020

Journal Article

Identification and quantification of selected plastics in biosolids by pressurized liquid extraction combined with double-shot pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Okoffo, Elvis D., Ribeiro, Francisca, O'Brien, Jake W., O'Brien, Stacey, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Gallen, Michael, Samanipour, Saer, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Identification and quantification of selected plastics in biosolids by pressurized liquid extraction combined with double-shot pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Science of the Total Environment, 715 136924, 1. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136924

Identification and quantification of selected plastics in biosolids by pressurized liquid extraction combined with double-shot pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

2020

Journal Article

Correction: Spatio-temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from seven years of international wastewater (vol 115, pg 109, 2020)

Gonzalez-Marino, Iria, Baz-Lomba, Jose Antonio, Alygizakis, Nikiforos A., Andres-Costa, Maria Jesus, Bade, Richard, Bannwarth, Anne, Barron, Leon P., Been, Frederic, Benaglia, Lisa, Berset, Jean-Daniel, Bijlsma, Lubertus, Bodik, Igor, Brenner, Asher, Brock, Andreas L., Burgard, Daniel A., Castrignano, Erika, Celma, Alberto, Christophoridis, Christophoros E., Covaci, Adrian, Delemont, Olivier, de Voogt, Pim, Devault, Damien A., Dias, Mario J., Emke, Erik, Esseiva, Pierre, Fatta-Kassinos, Despo, Fedorova, Ganna, Fytianos, Konstantinos, Gerber, Cobus ... Ort, Christoph (2020). Correction: Spatio-temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from seven years of international wastewater (vol 115, pg 109, 2020). Addiction, 115 (5), 994-996. doi: 10.1111/add.15016

Correction: Spatio-temporal assessment of illicit drug use at large scale: evidence from seven years of international wastewater (vol 115, pg 109, 2020)

2020

Journal Article

Do food and stress biomarkers work for wastewater-based epidemiology? A critical evaluation

Choi, P.M., Bowes, D.A., O'Brien, J.W., Li, J., Halden, R.U., Jiang, G., Thomas, K.V. and Mueller, J.F. (2020). Do food and stress biomarkers work for wastewater-based epidemiology? A critical evaluation. Science of The Total Environment, 736 139654, 139654. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139654

Do food and stress biomarkers work for wastewater-based epidemiology? A critical evaluation

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

  • Deciphering known and unknown chemical drivers of antimicrobial resistance in environmental mixtures

    Quantify known AMR-selective chemicals in complex samples, use iceberg modelling to estimate unknown drivers, and isolate unknown AMR-selective compounds via bioassay-directed fractionation for structural characterisation by high resolution mass spectrometry.

  • 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

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