
Overview
Background
Doctor Jake O’Brien is Senior Research Fellow and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS). His main field of interest is in wastewater-based epidemiology, but he also has interest in developing analytical methods for chemicals of emerging concern within biological and environmental samples. Doctor O'Brien is a strong advocate for collaborative research having co-authored with more than 300 collaborators worldwide on over 150 publications. Jake is strongly supportive of early career researcher development and is currently the chair of the EMCR@UQ Committee. He is also a Chief Investigator of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program since its establishment in 2016.
Availability
- Dr Jake O'Brien is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Jake O'Brien’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Using prescription and wastewater data to estimate the correction factors of atenolol, carbamazepine, and naproxen for wastewater-based epidemiology applications
Gao, Jianfa, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Choi, Phil M., O’Brien, Jake W., Boogaerts, Tim, Jiang, Hui, Yang, Mengting, Hollingworth, Samantha A. and Thai, Phong K. (2021). Using prescription and wastewater data to estimate the correction factors of atenolol, carbamazepine, and naproxen for wastewater-based epidemiology applications. Environmental Science and Technology, 55 (11) acs.est.1c00931, 7551-7560. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00931
2021
Journal Article
Wastewater-based prevalence trends of gout in an Australian community over a period of 8 years
Ahmed, Fahad, Tscharke, Benjamin, O'Brien, Jake W., Zheng, Qiuda, Thompson, Jack, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Wastewater-based prevalence trends of gout in an Australian community over a period of 8 years. Science of the Total Environment, 759 143460, 143460. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143460
2021
Journal Article
SARS-CoV-2 RNA monitoring in wastewater as a potential early warning system for COVID-19 transmission in the community: a temporal case study
Ahmed, Warish, Tscharke, Ben, Bertsch, Paul M., Bibby, Kyle, Bivins, Aaron, Choi, Phil, Clarke, Leah, Dwyer, Jason, Edson, Janette, Nguyen, Thi Minh Hong, O'Brien, Jake W., Simpson, Stuart L., Sherman, Paul, Thomas, Kevin V., Verhagen, Rory, Zaugg, Julian and Mueller, Jochen F. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 RNA monitoring in wastewater as a potential early warning system for COVID-19 transmission in the community: a temporal case study. Science of The Total Environment, 761 144216, 144216. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144216
2021
Journal Article
Out of sight but not out of mind: size fractionation of plastics bioaccumulated by field deployed oysters
Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., O’Brien, Jake W., O’Brien, Stacey, Harris, Jonathan M., Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Mueller, Jochen F., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Out of sight but not out of mind: size fractionation of plastics bioaccumulated by field deployed oysters. Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters, 2 100021, 100021. doi: 10.1016/j.hazl.2021.100021
2021
Journal Article
Estimating alcohol consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology: an assessment of the correction factor for ethyl sulfate using large-scale national monitoring data
Thai, Phong K., Tscharke, Benjamin J., O’Brien, Jake W., Zheng, Qiuda, Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2021). Estimating alcohol consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology: an assessment of the correction factor for ethyl sulfate using large-scale national monitoring data. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 8 (4), 333-338. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00065
2021
Journal Article
The presence of selected UV filters in a freshwater recreational reservoir and fate in controlled experiments
O'Malley, Elissa, McLachlan, Michael S., O'Brien, Jake W., Verhagen, Rory and Mueller, Jochen F. (2021). The presence of selected UV filters in a freshwater recreational reservoir and fate in controlled experiments. Science of the Total Environment, 754 142373, 142373. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142373
2021
Journal Article
Trends in artificial sweetener consumption: a 7-year wastewater-based epidemiology study in Queensland, Australia
Li, Dandan, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Choi, Phil M., Ahmed, Fahad, Thompson, Jack, Mueller, Jochen F., Sun, Hongwen and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Trends in artificial sweetener consumption: a 7-year wastewater-based epidemiology study in Queensland, Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 754 142438, 142438. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142438
2021
Journal Article
Plastic particles in soil: state of the knowledge on sources, occurrence and distribution, analytical methods and ecological impacts
Okoffo, Elvis D., O'Brien, Stacey, Ribeiro, Francisca, Burrows, Stephen D., Toapanta, Tania, Rauert, Cassandra, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Wang, Xianyu and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Plastic particles in soil: state of the knowledge on sources, occurrence and distribution, analytical methods and ecological impacts. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 23 (2), 240-274. doi: 10.1039/d0em00312c
2021
Book
Wastewater analysis for substance abuse monitoring and policy development
Prichard, Jeremy, Hall, Wayne, Kirkbride, Paul and O’Brien, Jake (2021). Wastewater analysis for substance abuse monitoring and policy development. Boca Raton, FL, United States: CRC Press. doi: 10.1201/9780429025709
2020
Journal Article
Airborne emissions of microplastic fibres from domestic laundry dryers
O'Brien, Stacey, Okoffo, Elvis D., O'Brien, Jake W., Ribeiro, Francisca, Wang, Xianyu, Wright, Stephanie L., Samanipour, Saer, Rauert, Cassandra, Toapanta, Tania Yessenia Alajo, Albarracin, Rizsa and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Airborne emissions of microplastic fibres from domestic laundry dryers. Science of the Total Environment, 747 141175, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141175
2020
Journal Article
Release of plastics to Australian land from biosolids end-use
Okoffo, Elvis D., Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake W., O'Brien, Stacey, Ribeiro, Francisca, Burrows, Stephen D., Choi, Phil M., Wang, Xianyu, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin (2020). Release of plastics to Australian land from biosolids end-use. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (23), 15132-15141. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05867
2020
Journal Article
Long-term trends in tobacco use assessed by wastewater-based epidemiology and its relationship with consumption of nicotine containing products
Zheng, Qiuda, Gartner, Coral, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake W., Gao, Jianfa, Ahmed, Fahad, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2020). Long-term trends in tobacco use assessed by wastewater-based epidemiology and its relationship with consumption of nicotine containing products. Environmental International, 145 106088, 106088. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106088
2020
Journal Article
Wastewater treatment efficacy evaluated with in vitro bioassays
Neale, Peta A., O’Brien, Jake W., Glauch, Lisa, König, Maria, Krauss, Martin, Mueller, Jochen F., Tscharke, Ben and Escher, Beate I. (2020). Wastewater treatment efficacy evaluated with in vitro bioassays. Water Research X, 9 100072, 100072. doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2020.100072
2020
Journal Article
An assessment of quality assurance/quality control efforts in high resolution mass spectrometry non-target workflows for analysis of environmental samples
Schulze, Bastian, Jeon, Youngjoon, Kaserzon, Sarit, Heffernan, Amy L., Dewapriya, Pradeep, O'Brien, Jake, Gomez Ramos, Maria Jose, Ghorbani Gorji, Sara, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Samanipour, Saer (2020). An assessment of quality assurance/quality control efforts in high resolution mass spectrometry non-target workflows for analysis of environmental samples. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 133 116063, 116063. doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.116063
2020
Journal Article
Response to comment on “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). Response to comment on “Quantitative analysis of selected plastics in high-commercial-value Australian seafood by pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry”. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (23), 15556-15557. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c07097
2020
Journal Article
Determination of anabasine, anatabine, and nicotine biomarkers in wastewater by enhanced direct injection LC-MS/MS and evaluation of their in-sewer stability
Zheng, Qiuda, Eaglesham, Geoff, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake W., Li, Jiaying, Thompson, Jack, Shimko, Katja M., Reeks, Tim, Gerber, Cobus, Thomas, Kevin V. and Thai, Phong K. (2020). Determination of anabasine, anatabine, and nicotine biomarkers in wastewater by enhanced direct injection LC-MS/MS and evaluation of their in-sewer stability. Science of The Total Environment, 743 140551, 140551. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140551
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
2020
Journal Article
Application of catecholamine metabolites as endogenous population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology
Pandopulos, Aaron J., Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake W., Simpson, Bradley S., White, Jason M. and Gerber, Cobus (2020). Application of catecholamine metabolites as endogenous population biomarkers for wastewater-based epidemiology. Science of the Total Environment, 763 142992, 142992. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142992
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
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
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Jake O'Brien is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
The suitability of wastewater-based epidemiology for AMR surveillance
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Non-Targeted High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Highly Mobile and Highly Persistent Chemicals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of the inflammatory response of human cells to silica dust exposure
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Developing the framework for a national wastewater antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use surveillance method
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
The suitability of wastewater-based epidemiology for AMR surveillance
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Developing the framework for a national wastewater antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use surveillance method
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Non-Targeted High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Highly Mobile and Highly Persistent Chemicals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of novel substances in wastewater that select for antimicrobial resistance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Specialised Hyphenated Methodologies for Quantifying New Halogenated Plastic Materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding use and fate of ingredients in consumer products
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Richard Bade, Professor Jochen Mueller
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation and Quantification of Nanoplastics in the Environment Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Elvis Okoffo, Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Antibiotics and other chemicals that select for resistance in the environment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Antibiotics and other chemicals that select for antimicrobial resistance in Australian wastewater
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Estimating use of tobacco and nicotine products through wastewater analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Ben Tscharke, Associate Professor Phong Thai
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of novel substances in wastewater that select for antimicrobial resistance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of biomarker transformation in the wastewater system
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Phong Thai, Dr Qiuda Zheng
-
Doctor Philosophy
Microplastic exposure
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Dr Cassie Rauert, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Advancing the non-target identification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in environmental samples
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ian Wood, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Dr Pradeep Dewapriya, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Comprehensive characterisation of the human PFAS exposome
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ian Wood, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Dr Pradeep Dewapriya, Professor Kevin Thomas
Completed supervision
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating the suitability of wastewater analysis for the detection and monitoring of performance- and image-enhancing drug use
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Ben Tscharke, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of plastic contamination in marine organisms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
An assessment of alcohol and tobacco consumption by wastewater-based epidemiology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Ben Tscharke, Associate Professor Phong Thai
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of analgesic consumption and the burden of treated pain in Australia using wastewater-based epidemiology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Ben Tscharke, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
An assessment of plastic residues in Australian biosolids
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Ben Tscharke, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing sources, fate, and the potential risk of UV filters in the aquatic environment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Population diet and stress estimates using wastewater based epidemiology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas, Professor Jochen Mueller
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Expanding wastewater-based epidemiology and evaluating the stability of biomarkers in the sewers: from the laboratory to the field
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Phong Thai, Professor Jochen Mueller
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Jake O'Brien directly for media enquiries about:
- Illicit drug monitoring in wastewater
- national wastewater drug monitoring program
- wastewater
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: