Overview
Background
Dr Ben Tscharke is an analytical chemist with a keen interest in quantifying analytes in environmental samples. Ben is currently a Senior 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 leads the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's National Wastewater Drug Monitoring program at UQ, which 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
2022
Journal Article
A nationwide wastewater-based assessment of metformin consumption across Australia
Yang, Dan, Zheng, Qiuda, Thai, Phong, Ahmed, Fahad, O'Brien, Jake W., Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Tscharke, Ben (2022). A nationwide wastewater-based assessment of metformin consumption across Australia. Environment International, 165 107282, 107282. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107282
2022
Journal Article
Background release and potential point sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to municipal wastewater treatment plants across Australia
Nguyen, Hue T., McLachlan, Michael S., Tscharke, Ben, Thai, Phong, Braeunig, Jennifer, Kaserzon, Sarit, O'Brien, Jake W. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2022). Background release and potential point sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to municipal wastewater treatment plants across Australia. Chemosphere, 293 133657, 133657. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133657
2022
Journal Article
A simple liquid extraction for simultaneous determination of 12 opioid ligands in plasma by LC-MS/MS
Yang, Dan, Zheng, Qiuda, Ahmed, Fahad, Parat, Marie-Odile and Tscharke, Benjamin J. (2022). A simple liquid extraction for simultaneous determination of 12 opioid ligands in plasma by LC-MS/MS. Analytical Methods, 14 (15), 1523-1528. doi: 10.1039/d1ay01631h
2022
Journal Article
Does size matter? Quantification of plastics associated with size fractionated biosolids
Okoffo, Elvis D., O'Brien, Stacey, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Rauert, Cassandra, Rødland, Elisabeth S., Ribeiro, Francisca, Burrows, Stephen D., Toapanta, Tania, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Does size matter? Quantification of plastics associated with size fractionated biosolids. Science of The Total Environment, 811 152382, 152382. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152382
2022
Journal Article
In-sewer stability assessment of anabolic steroids and selective androgen receptor modulators
Shimko, Katja M., O’Brien, Jake W., Li, Jiaying, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Brooker, Lance, Thai, Phong K., Choi, Phil M., Samanipour, Saer and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). In-sewer stability assessment of anabolic steroids and selective androgen receptor modulators. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (3) acs.est.1c03047, 1627-1638. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03047
2022
Journal Article
A wastewater‐based assessment of the impact of a minimum unit price on population alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory, Australia
O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Bade, Richard, Chan, Gary, Gerber, Cobus, Mueller, Jochen F., Thomas, Kevin V. and Hall, Wayne D. (2022). A wastewater‐based assessment of the impact of a minimum unit price on population alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory, Australia. Addiction, 117 (1), 243-249. doi: 10.1111/add.15631
2021
Journal Article
The impact of COVID-19 on antidepressant sales and prescription dispensing in Australia
Tscharke, Ben J., Hollingworth, Samantha, van Driel, Mieke L., O’Brien, Jake W. and Thai, Phong K. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on antidepressant sales and prescription dispensing in Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 56 (7), 000486742110683-872. doi: 10.1177/00048674211068396
2021
Conference Publication
Using Triangulated Survey and Wastewater Data to Understand Patterns of Illicit Drug Use among Australian Music Festival Attendees
Puljevic, Cheneal, Wessel, Ellen, Barratt, Monica, Ferris, Jason, Tscharke, Ben J. , Verhagen, Rory, Bade, Richard, O'Brien, Jake and Mueller, Jochen (2021). Using Triangulated Survey and Wastewater Data to Understand Patterns of Illicit Drug Use among Australian Music Festival Attendees. Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 7-10 November 2021. Australia: Wiley. doi: 10.1111/dar.13384
2021
Journal Article
Performance- and image-enhancing drug use in the community: use prevalence, user demographics and the potential role of wastewater-based epidemiology
Shimko, Katja M., Piatkowski, Timothy, Thomas, Kevin V., Speers, Naomi, Brooker, Lance, Tscharke, Ben J. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2021). Performance- and image-enhancing drug use in the community: use prevalence, user demographics and the potential role of wastewater-based epidemiology. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 419 126340, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126340
2021
Journal Article
Current and future perspectives for wastewater-based epidemiology as a monitoring tool for pharmaceutical use
Boogaerts, Tim, Ahmed, Fahad, Choi, Phil.M, Tscharke, Benjamin, O'Brien, Jake, De Loof, Hans, Gao, Jianfa, Thai, Phong, Thomas, Kevin, Mueller, Jochen F., Hall, Wayne, Covaci, Adrian and van Nuijs, Alexander L.N. (2021). Current and future perspectives for wastewater-based epidemiology as a monitoring tool for pharmaceutical use. Science of the Total Environment, 789 148047, 148047. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148047
2021
Journal Article
Multisite calibration of a microporous polyethylene tube passive sampler for quantifying drugs in wastewater
Verhagen, Rory, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Clokey, Joseph, Gerber, Cobus, Ghetia, Maulik, Kaserzon, Sarit L., Thomas, Kevin V. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2021). Multisite calibration of a microporous polyethylene tube passive sampler for quantifying drugs in wastewater. Environmental Science and Technology, 55 (19) acs.est.1c02900, 12922-12929. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c02900
2021
Journal Article
In-sewer stability of selected analgesics and their metabolites
Ahmed, Fahad, Li, Jiaying, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Samanipour, Saer, Thai, Phong K., Yuan, Zhiguo, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). In-sewer stability of selected analgesics and their metabolites. Water Research, 204 117647, 117647. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117647
2021
Journal Article
Impact of COVID-19 controls on the use of illicit drugs and alcohol in Australia
Bade, Richard, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O’Brien, Jake W., Magsarjav, Saranzaya, Humphries, Melissa, Ghetia, Maulik, Thomas, Kevin V., Mueller, Jochen F., White, Jason M. and Gerber, Cobus (2021). Impact of COVID-19 controls on the use of illicit drugs and alcohol in Australia. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 8 (9), 799-804. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00532
2021
Journal Article
Plastics contamination in archived biosolids from 1950 to 2016
Okoffo, Elvis D., Donner, Erica, McGrath, Steve P., Tscharke, Benjamin J., O'Brien, Jake W., O'Brien, Stacey, Ribeiro, Francisca, Burrows, Stephen D., Toapanta, Tania, Rauert, Cassandra, Samanipour, Saer, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Plastics contamination in archived biosolids from 1950 to 2016. Water Research, 201 117367, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117367
2021
Journal Article
Artificial sweeteners in end-use biosolids in Australia
Li, Dandan, O'Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Okoffo, Elvis D., Mueller, Jochen F., Sun, Hongwen and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Artificial sweeteners in end-use biosolids in Australia. Water Research, 200 117237, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117237
2021
Journal Article
Spatial, temporal and socioeconomic patterns of illicit drug use in New Zealand assessed using wastewater-based epidemiology timed to coincide with the census
Price, Mackay, Wilkins, Chris, Tscharke, Benjamin J., Baker, Tom, Mueller, Jochen F. and Trowsdale, Sam (2021). Spatial, temporal and socioeconomic patterns of illicit drug use in New Zealand assessed using wastewater-based epidemiology timed to coincide with the census. The New Zealand Medical Journal, 134 (1537), 11-26.
2021
Journal Article
Quantification of selected analgesics and their metabolites in influent wastewater by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Ahmed, Fahad, Tscharke, Benjamin, O’Brien, Jake W., Thompson, Jack, Zheng, Qiuda, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Quantification of selected analgesics and their metabolites in influent wastewater by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Talanta, 234 122627, 122627. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122627
2021
Journal Article
Systematic evaluation of the in-sample stability of selected pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and their metabolites in wastewater
Lin, Xialu, Choi, Phil M., Thompson, Jack, Reeks, Timothy, Verhagen, Rory, Tscharke, Benjamin J., O’Malley, Elissa, Shimko, Katja M., Guo, Xiong, Thomas, Kevin V. and O’Brien, Jake W. (2021). Systematic evaluation of the in-sample stability of selected pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and their metabolites in wastewater. Environmental Science and Technology, 55 (11) acs.est.1c00396, 7418-7429. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00396
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
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Ben Tscharke is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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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
Using multiple data sources to understand the opioid crisis in Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Connor, Associate Professor Phong Thai
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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
-
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
-
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
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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
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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
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Doctor Philosophy
A Wastewater-based Epidemiology Study on the Consumption Characteristics, Prevalence, and Risk Assessment of Psychoactive Substances in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Qiuda Zheng, Associate Professor Phong Thai
Completed supervision
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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
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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
-
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
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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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