Dr Ben Tscharke
Dr

Ben Tscharke

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 61971

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

Analytical chemistry Analytical spectrometry Chemical Sciences Environmental epidemiology Epidemiology Health Sciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of South Australia

Research interests

  • 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.

Search Professor Ben Tscharke’s works on UQ eSpace

133 works between 2013 and 2024
All (133) Journal Article (99) Book Chapter (1) Conference Publication (23) Other Outputs (10)

1 - 20 of 133 works

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

Assessing daily patterns in stimulant use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia using wastewater analysis

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

High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater

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

Seven-years of alcohol consumption in Australia by wastewater analysis: exploring patterns by remoteness and socioeconomic factors

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

Refining the correction factor for a better monitoring of antidepressant use by wastewater-based epidemiology: a case study of amitriptyline

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

Testing methods to estimate population size for wastewater treatment plants using census data: Implications for wastewater-based epidemiology

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

Characterising differences between self-reported and wastewater-identified drug use at two consecutive years of an Australian music festival

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

Monitoring the use of novel psychoactive substances in Australia by wastewater-based epidemiology

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

Improving wastewater-based epidemiology for new psychoactive substance surveillance by combining a high-throughput in vitro metabolism assay and LC−HRMS metabolite identification

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

Occurrence, spatiotemporal trends, fate, and treatment technologies for microplastics and organic contaminants in biosolids: a review

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

Tracing the origins of plastics in biosolids: the role of sewerage pipe materials and trade waste

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

Analysis of wastewater from 2013 to 2021 detected a recent increase in nicotine use in Queensland, Australia

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

Spatial and temporal trends of 64 pesticides and their removal from Australian wastewater

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

Exploring drug consumption patterns across varying levels of remoteness in Australia

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

Bisphenols and phthalates in Australian wastewater: a statistical approach for estimating contributions from diffuse and point sources

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

Associations between wastewater microbiome and population smoking rate identified using wastewater-based epidemiology

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

Emergence and occurrence of performance-enhancing substance use in Australia determined by wastewater analysis

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

Assessing the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on alcohol consumption in Melbourne, Australia using high-resolution wastewater sampling

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

Monitoring medication and illicit drug consumption in a prison by wastewater-based epidemiology: impact of COVID-19 restrictions

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

Predicted growth in plastics entering biosolids and agricultural lands exceeds efforts to control source emissions

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

Wastewater-based monitoring could help guide responses to the USA opioid epidemic

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Using multiple data sources to understand the opioid crisis in Australia
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2027
    National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program
    Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Understanding Australia by analysing wastewater during the Census 2021
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2023
    Assessing the toxicity and metabolism of New Psychoactive Substances and their presence in wastewater
    Universities Australia - Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Wastewater analysis services
    Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
    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

Availability

Dr Ben Tscharke is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Ben Tscharke directly for media enquiries about:

  • National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program
  • Wastewater drug testing

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