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
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
Journal Article
Quantifying nicotine and alcohol consumption in New Zealand using wastewater-based epidemiology timed to coincide with census
Trowsdale, Sam, Price, Mackay, Wilkins, Chris, Tscharke, Ben, Mueller, Jochen and Baker, Tom (2021). Quantifying nicotine and alcohol consumption in New Zealand using wastewater-based epidemiology timed to coincide with census. Drug and Alcohol Review, 40 (7) dar.13268, 1178-1185. doi: 10.1111/dar.13268
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
2020
Journal Article
Anabasine-based measurement of cigarette consumption using wastewater analysis
Bade, Richard, White, Jason M., Tscharke, Benjamin J., Ghetia, Maulik, Abdelaziz, Ahmed and Gerber, Cobus (2020). Anabasine-based measurement of cigarette consumption using wastewater analysis. Drug Testing and Analysis, 12 (9) dta.2874, 1393-1398. doi: 10.1002/dta.2874
2020
Journal Article
Wastewater-based estimation of the prevalence of gout in Australia
Ahmed, Fahad, Tscharke, Benjamin, O'Brien, Jake, Thompson, Jack, Samanipour, Saer, Choi, Phil, Li, Jiaying, Mueller, Jochen F. and Thomas, Kevin (2020). Wastewater-based estimation of the prevalence of gout in Australia. Science of The Total Environment, 715 136925, 136925. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136925
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
2020
Journal Article
Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, food additive and pesticides in surface waters from three Australian east coast estuaries (Sydney, Yarra and Brisbane)
Anim, Alfred K., Thompson, Kristie, Duodu, Godfred O., Tscharke, Ben, Birch, Gavin, Goonetilleke, Ashantha, Ayoko, Godwin A. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2020). Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, food additive and pesticides in surface waters from three Australian east coast estuaries (Sydney, Yarra and Brisbane). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 153 111014, 111014. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111014
2020
Journal Article
Concentrations of phthalate metabolites in Australian urine samples and their contribution to the per capita loads in wastewater
Tang, Shaoyu, He, Chang, Thai, Phong, Vijayasarathy, Soumini, Mackie, Rachel, Toms, Leisa-Maree L., Thompson, Kristie, Hobson, Peter, Tscharke, Ben, O'Brien, Jake W. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2020). Concentrations of phthalate metabolites in Australian urine samples and their contribution to the per capita loads in wastewater. Environment International, 137 105534, 105534. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105534
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
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
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
-
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
-
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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