![Dr Ben Tscharke](/sites/default/files/profiles/17035.jpeg)
Overview
Background
Dr Ben Tscharke is an early career researcher and analytical chemist with a keen interest in quantifying analytes in environmental samples. Ben is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland research institute, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), joining in February 2017 after graduating his PhD from the University of South Australia the previous year. His key focus at QAEHS involves the wastewater based epidemiological approach to determine community consumption and exposure to a range of illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. He has significant involvement in the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's National Wastewater Drug Monitoring program, for which UQ collaborates with the University of South Australia (https://www.acic.gov.au/publications/intelligence-products/national-wastewater-drug-monitoring-program-report).
Availability
- Dr Ben Tscharke is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of South Australia
Research interests
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Wastewater-based epidemiology
I am a research fellow at QAEHS focussed on estimating population-level consumption of licit and illicit drugs in communities via measuring drugs and drug metabolites in wastewater. One of my main interests is extending the utility of wastewater data by combining it with other forms of data to improve understanding of drug use and exposure to chemicals in our communities.
Works
Search Professor Ben Tscharke’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis
Chen, Shuo, Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Ben, Hall, Wayne, Thai, Phong, He, Chang, Ahmed, Fahad, Zheng, Qiuda, Choi, Phil M., O'Brien, Jake W. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2024). Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 476 135130, 135130. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135130
2024
Journal Article
High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater
Wang, Zhe, Zheng, Qiuda, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Li, Jinglong, O'Brien, Jake W., Patterson, Brad, Zhao, Zeyang, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2024). High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater. Talanta, 277 126401, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126401
2024
Journal Article
Seven-years of alcohol consumption in Australia by wastewater analysis: exploring patterns by remoteness and socioeconomic factors
Tscharke, Ben, Livingston, Michael, O'Brien, Jake W., Bade, Richard, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F., Hall, Wayne, Simpson, Bradley S., Jaunay, Emma, Gerber, Cobus, White, Jason M. and Thai, Phong K. (2024). Seven-years of alcohol consumption in Australia by wastewater analysis: exploring patterns by remoteness and socioeconomic factors. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 259 111317, 111317. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111317
2024
Journal Article
Refining the correction factor for a better monitoring of antidepressant use by wastewater-based epidemiology: a case study of amitriptyline
Zhao, Zeyang, Zheng, Qiuda, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Ahmed, Fahad, O'Brien, Jake W., Gao, Jianfa, Covaci, Adrian and Thai, Phong K. (2024). Refining the correction factor for a better monitoring of antidepressant use by wastewater-based epidemiology: a case study of amitriptyline. Science of The Total Environment, 926 172057, 172057. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172057
2024
Journal Article
Testing methods to estimate population size for wastewater treatment plants using census data: Implications for wastewater-based epidemiology
Price, Mackay, Tscharke, Ben, Chappell, Andrew, Kah, Melanie, Sila-Nowicka, Katarzyna, Morris, Helen, Ward, Daniel and Trowsdale, Sam (2024). Testing methods to estimate population size for wastewater treatment plants using census data: Implications for wastewater-based epidemiology. Science of The Total Environment, 922 170974, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170974
Featured
2024
Journal Article
Characterising differences between self-reported and wastewater-identified drug use at two consecutive years of an Australian music festival
Puljević, Cheneal, Tscharke, Benjamin, Wessel, Ellen Leslie, Francis, Cameron, Verhagen, Rory, O'Brien, Jake W., Bade, Richard, Nadarajan, Dhayaalini, Measham, Fiona, Stowe, M.J., Piatkowski, Timothy, Ferris, Jason, Page, Robert, Hiley, Sarah, Eassey, Christopher, McKinnon, Ginny, Sinclair, Genevieve, Blatchford, Emily, Engel, Liam, Norvill, Alice and Barratt, Monica J. (2024). Characterising differences between self-reported and wastewater-identified drug use at two consecutive years of an Australian music festival. Science of The Total Environment, 921 170934, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170934
2024
Journal Article
Monitoring the use of novel psychoactive substances in Australia by wastewater-based epidemiology
Jaunay, Emma L., Bade, Richard, Paxton, Kara R., Nadarajan, Dhayaalini, Barry, Daniel C., Zhai, Yuze, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake W., Mueller, Jochen, White, Jason M., Simpson, Bradley S. and Gerber, Cobus (2024). Monitoring the use of novel psychoactive substances in Australia by wastewater-based epidemiology. Science of The Total Environment, 919 170473, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170473
2024
Journal Article
Improving wastewater-based epidemiology for new psychoactive substance surveillance by combining a high-throughput in vitro metabolism assay and LC−HRMS metabolite identification
Bade, Richard, Huchthausen, Julia, Huber, Carolin, Dewapriya, Pradeep, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Verhagen, Rory, Puljevic, Cheneal, Escher, Beate I. and O'Brien, Jake W. (2024). Improving wastewater-based epidemiology for new psychoactive substance surveillance by combining a high-throughput in vitro metabolism assay and LC−HRMS metabolite identification. Water Research, 253 121297, 121297. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121297
2024
Journal Article
Occurrence, spatiotemporal trends, fate, and treatment technologies for microplastics and organic contaminants in biosolids: a review
Vo, Phong H.N., Ky Le, Gia, Huy, Lai Nguyen, Zheng, Lei, Chaiwong, Chawalit, Nguyen, Nam Nhat, Nguyen, Hong T.M., Ralph, Peter J., Kuzhiumparambil, Unnikrishnan, Soroosh, Danaee, Toft, Sonja, Madsen, Craig, Kim, Mikael, Fenstermacher, Jim, Hai, Ho Truong Nam, Duan, Haoran and Tscharke, Ben (2024). Occurrence, spatiotemporal trends, fate, and treatment technologies for microplastics and organic contaminants in biosolids: a review. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 466 133471, 1-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133471
2024
Journal Article
Tracing the origins of plastics in biosolids: the role of sewerage pipe materials and trade waste
Okoffo, Elvis D., Tscharke, Ben J., Li, Jiaying and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Tracing the origins of plastics in biosolids: the role of sewerage pipe materials and trade waste. Science of The Total Environment, 914 169737, 169737. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169737
2024
Journal Article
Analysis of wastewater from 2013 to 2021 detected a recent increase in nicotine use in Queensland, Australia
Wang, Zhe, Zheng, Qiuda, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Chan, Gary, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Thai, Phong K. (2024). Analysis of wastewater from 2013 to 2021 detected a recent increase in nicotine use in Queensland, Australia. Water Research, 250 121040, 121040. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.121040
2023
Journal Article
Spatial and temporal trends of 64 pesticides and their removal from Australian wastewater
Knight, Emma R., Verhagen, Rory, Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Ben J. (2023). Spatial and temporal trends of 64 pesticides and their removal from Australian wastewater. Science of the Total Environment, 905 166816, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166816
2023
Journal Article
Exploring drug consumption patterns across varying levels of remoteness in Australia
Verhagen, Rory, Kaserzon, Sarit L., Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Benjamin J. (2023). Exploring drug consumption patterns across varying levels of remoteness in Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 903 166163, 166163. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166163
2023
Journal Article
Bisphenols and phthalates in Australian wastewater: a statistical approach for estimating contributions from diffuse and point sources
Moore, Belinda, He, Chang, Knight, Emma, Mueller, Jochen F. and Tscharke, Benjamin (2023). Bisphenols and phthalates in Australian wastewater: a statistical approach for estimating contributions from diffuse and point sources. Water Research, 246 120680, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120680
2023
Journal Article
Associations between wastewater microbiome and population smoking rate identified using wastewater-based epidemiology
Wu, Jiangping, Zhang, Shuxin, Chen, Yan, Zhao, Jiawei, Prosun, Tanjila, O’Brien, Jake William, Mueller, Jochen F., Tscharke, Ben J., Coin, Lachlan J.M, Luby, Stephen P., Hai, Faisal I., Buchanan, Tanya and Jiang, Guangming (2023). Associations between wastewater microbiome and population smoking rate identified using wastewater-based epidemiology. Environment and Health, 1 (6), 394-404. doi: 10.1021/envhealth.3c00105
2023
Journal Article
Emergence and occurrence of performance-enhancing substance use in Australia determined by wastewater analysis
Shimko, Katja M., O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Brooker, Lance, Goebel, Catrin, Shiels, Ryan, Speers, Naomi, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Emergence and occurrence of performance-enhancing substance use in Australia determined by wastewater analysis. Nature Water, 1 (10), 1-8. doi: 10.1038/s44221-023-00136-y
2023
Journal Article
Assessing the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on alcohol consumption in Melbourne, Australia using high-resolution wastewater sampling
Chen, Shuo, Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Ben, Hall, Wayne, Livingston, Michael, Thai, Phong, He, Chang, Zheng, Qiuda, Crosbie, Nick and Mueller, Jochen (2023). Assessing the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on alcohol consumption in Melbourne, Australia using high-resolution wastewater sampling. Science of The Total Environment, 893 164846, 164846. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164846
2023
Journal Article
Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: impact of COVID-19 restrictions
Wang, Zhe, Mueller, Jochen F., O'Brien, Jake W., Thompson, Jack, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Verhagen, Rory, Zheng, Qiuda, Prichard, Jeremy, Hall, Wayne, Humphreys, Keith, Thomas, Kevin V. and Thai, Phong K. (2023). Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: impact of COVID-19 restrictions. Water Research, 244 120452, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120452
2023
Journal Article
Predicted growth in plastics entering biosolids and agricultural lands exceeds efforts to control source emissions
Okoffo, Elvis D., Tscharke, Ben J. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Predicted growth in plastics entering biosolids and agricultural lands exceeds efforts to control source emissions. ACS - ES and T Water, 3 (8), 2238-2246. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00037
2023
Journal Article
Wastewater-based monitoring could help guide responses to the USA opioid epidemic
Ahmed, Fahad, O’Brien, Jake W., Keshaviah, Aparna, Hall, Wayne D., Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Benjamin, Matus, Mariana, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Burgard, Daniel A. (2023). Wastewater-based monitoring could help guide responses to the USA opioid epidemic. Nature Water, 1 (5), 401-404. doi: 10.1038/s44221-023-00082-9
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Ben Tscharke is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
An exploration of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in QLD wastewater
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fisher Wang, Dr Jiaying Li, Dr Ian Zammit
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Doctor Philosophy
Bioaccumulation potential of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in humans
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Richard Bade, Associate Professor Phong Thai, Professor Jochen Mueller
-
Doctor Philosophy
Estimating use of tobacco and nicotine products through wastewater analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Professor Kevin Thomas, Associate Professor Phong Thai
-
Doctor Philosophy
Data mining for characterization of the chemical exposome in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Associate Professor Gary Chung Kai Chan
Completed supervision
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Innovative sampling strategies for improved wastewater-based epidemiology
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
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 Jake O'Brien, Professor Kevin Thomas
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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, Professor Kevin Thomas, 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 Jake O'Brien, Professor Kevin Thomas
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
An assessment of plastic residues in Australian biosolids
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Dr Jake O'Brien, Professor Kevin Thomas
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Ben Tscharke directly for media enquiries about:
- National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program
- Wastewater drug testing
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