Dr Cassandra Rauert
Dr

Cassandra Rauert

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 61814

Background

Cassandra is a Senior Research Fellow at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), joining the group in 2019. She is the microplastics project lead in the Minderoo Centre-Plastics and Human Health, investigating human exposure to microplastics and developing new methods for detecting micro and nanoplastics in human matrices. Her other research interests include the impact of tyre road wear particles and their chemical additives on the environment and developing novel biomonitoring methods for assessing human exposure to chemicals of concern.

Availability

Dr Cassandra Rauert is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Analytical chemistry Analytical spectrometry Atmospheric composition, chemistry and processes Atmospheric sciences Chemical Sciences Earth Sciences Environmental Sciences Environmental management Instrumental methods (excl. immunological and bioassay methods)

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Sydney
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Birmingham

Research interests

  • Environmental occurrence of microplastics

    Microplastics are one of the biggest pollution challenges the world is currently facing. Yet there is still limited understanding on sources and fate in the environment. Our research group at QAEHS is investigating how micro and nanosized plastics enter the environment, how they are transported through environmental compartments and their long term fate once in the environment. By understanding sources and fate we can implement measure to reduce and remove these pollutants.

  • Non-invasive samplers for human biomonitoring

    We are constantly exposed to a myriad of different chemicals in our everyday lives (the chemical exposome). There is still a lack on understanding on the extent of this exposure and the bioaccumulation of these chemicals within the human body. We are developing non-invasive samplers, coupled with non-target analysis techniques, to determine the human body burden of our chemical exposures. These methods include silicone wristbands and reclaiming medical waste (silicone breast implants) for analysis of exposure and accumulation.

  • Impact of tyre wear and tyre additive chemicals on the environment

    Tyre road wear particles (TRWPs) are formed through every day abrasion of tyres on road surfaces and are now recognised as one of the largest sources of microplastics to the urban environment. Whilst being a significant source of microplastics they also contain a wide range of harmful additive chemicals. Our group is studying the occurrence, fate and impact of TRWPs and the chemicals they contain on the Australian environment with the aim of reducing their concentrations and impact.

  • Human exposure to plastics

    Humans are exposed to microsize and nanosize plastics everyday but there is still little understanding on this exposure, particularly their fate after we are exposed. In collaboration with the Minderoo foundation we are developing robust analytical methods to confidently quantify plastics in human matrices and assess if there is a risk from this exposure.

Search Professor Cassandra Rauert’s works on UQ eSpace

75 works between 2013 and 2026
All (75) Journal Article (75)

21 - 40 of 75 works

2024

Journal Article

Deep dive into the chronic toxicity of tyre particle mixtures and their leachates

Boisseaux, Paul, Rauert, Cassandra, Dewapriya, Pradeep, Delignette-Muller, Marie-Laure, Barrett, Robyn, Durndell, Lee, Pohl, Florian, Thompson, Richard, Thomas, Kevin V. and Galloway, Tamara (2024). Deep dive into the chronic toxicity of tyre particle mixtures and their leachates. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 466 133580, 133580. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133580

Deep dive into the chronic toxicity of tyre particle mixtures and their leachates

2023

Journal Article

A Hitchhiker's guide to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) monitoring in air: establishing a baseline network in Sri Lanka

Vlahos, Penny, Shipley, Emma R., Rauert, Cassandra, Tung, Phoebe, Chandrajith, Rohanna, Wickramarathna, Sudeera and Harner, Tom (2023). A Hitchhiker's guide to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) monitoring in air: establishing a baseline network in Sri Lanka. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 14 (12) 101901, 101901. doi: 10.1016/j.apr.2023.101901

A Hitchhiker's guide to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) monitoring in air: establishing a baseline network in Sri Lanka

2023

Journal Article

Evaluation and identification of chemical migrants leached from baby food pouch packaging

Tang, Cheng, Gómez Ramos, María José, Heffernan, Amy, Kaserzon, Sarit, Rauert, Cassandra, Lin, Chun-Yin, Mueller, Jochen F. and Wang, Xianyu (2023). Evaluation and identification of chemical migrants leached from baby food pouch packaging. Chemosphere, 340 139758, 139758. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139758

Evaluation and identification of chemical migrants leached from baby food pouch packaging

2023

Journal Article

Impacts of proximity to primary source areas on concentrations of POPs at global sampling stations estimated from land cover information

Schuster, Jasmin K., Harner, Tom and Rauert, Cassandra (2023). Impacts of proximity to primary source areas on concentrations of POPs at global sampling stations estimated from land cover information. ACS Omega, 8 (39), 36016-36024. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04065

Impacts of proximity to primary source areas on concentrations of POPs at global sampling stations estimated from land cover information

2023

Journal Article

NORMAN guidance on suspect and non-target screening in environmental monitoring

Hollender, Juliane, Schymanski, Emma L., Ahrens, Lutz, Alygizakis, Nikiforos, Béen, Frederic, Bijlsma, Lubertus, Brunner, Andrea M., Celma, Alberto, Fildier, Aurelie, Fu, Qiuguo, Gago-Ferrero, Pablo, Gil-Solsona, Ruben, Haglund, Peter, Hansen, Martin, Kaserzon, Sarit, Kruve, Anneli, Lamoree, Marja, Margoum, Christelle, Meijer, Jeroen, Merel, Sylvain, Rauert, Cassandra, Rostkowski, Pawel, Samanipour, Saer, Schulze, Bastian, Schulze, Tobias, Singh, Randolph R., Slobodnik, Jaroslav, Steininger-Mairinger, Teresa, Thomaidis, Nikolaos S. ... Krauss, Martin (2023). NORMAN guidance on suspect and non-target screening in environmental monitoring. Environmental Sciences Europe, 35 (1) 75. doi: 10.1186/s12302-023-00779-4

NORMAN guidance on suspect and non-target screening in environmental monitoring

2023

Journal Article

InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats

Feraud, Mathieu, O’Brien, Jake W., Samanipour, Saer, Dewapriya, Pradeep, van Herwerden, Denice, Kaserzon, Sarit, Wood, Ian, Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 455 131486, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131486

InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats

2023

Journal Article

Analytical challenges and possibilities for the quantification of tire-road wear particles

Rødland, Elisabeth S., Gustafsson, Mats, Jaramillo-Vogel, David, Järlskog, Ida, Müller, Kathrin, Rauert, Cassandra, Rausch, Juanita and Wagner, Stephan (2023). Analytical challenges and possibilities for the quantification of tire-road wear particles. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 165 117121, 117121. doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.117121

Analytical challenges and possibilities for the quantification of tire-road wear particles

2023

Journal Article

High-resolution mass spectrometric profiling of stormwater in an Australian creek

Dewapriya, Pradeep, Rousis, Nikolaos, Rauert, Cassandra, Thomaidis, Nikolaos S. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). High-resolution mass spectrometric profiling of stormwater in an Australian creek. ACS ES and T Water, 3 (8), 2502-2511. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00119

High-resolution mass spectrometric profiling of stormwater in an Australian creek

2023

Journal Article

Characterization and quantification of oxidative stress induced particle debris from polypropylene surgical mesh

Farr, Nicholas T. H., Rauert, Cassandra, Knight, Alexander J., Tartakovskii, Alexander I. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Characterization and quantification of oxidative stress induced particle debris from polypropylene surgical mesh. Nano Select, 4 (6), 395-407. doi: 10.1002/nano.202200243

Characterization and quantification of oxidative stress induced particle debris from polypropylene surgical mesh

2023

Journal Article

Assessment of background plastics contamination from human respiratory tract sample collection vessels

Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra, Boots, Robert, Fielding, David, Bashiradeh, Farzard, Singh, Mahendra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Assessment of background plastics contamination from human respiratory tract sample collection vessels. Water Emerging Contaminants and Nanoplastics, 1 (1) 4, 1-9. doi: 10.20517/wecn.2022.22

Assessment of background plastics contamination from human respiratory tract sample collection vessels

2023

Journal Article

There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere

O'Brien, Stacey, Rauert, Cassandra, Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., Burrows, Stephen D., O'Brien, Jake W., Wang, Xianyu, Wright, Stephanie L. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere. Science of the Total Environment, 874 162193, 1-33. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162193

There's something in the air: a review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere

2023

Journal Article

Mass quantification of microplastic at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra and Thomas, Kevin V. (2023). Mass quantification of microplastic at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Science of the Total Environment, 856 (Part 2) 159251, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159251

Mass quantification of microplastic at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

2022

Journal Article

Tyre additive chemicals, tyre road wear particles and high production polymers in surface water at 5 urban centres in Queensland, Australia

Rauert, Cassandra, Vardy, Suzanne, Daniell, Benjamin, Charlton, Nathan and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Tyre additive chemicals, tyre road wear particles and high production polymers in surface water at 5 urban centres in Queensland, Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 852 158468, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158468

Tyre additive chemicals, tyre road wear particles and high production polymers in surface water at 5 urban centres in Queensland, Australia

2022

Journal Article

Identification and quantification of micro-bioplastics in environmental samples by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Okoffo, Elvis D., Chan, Clement Matthew, Rauert, Cassandra, Kaserzon, Sarit and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Identification and quantification of micro-bioplastics in environmental samples by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (19), 13774-13785. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04091

Identification and quantification of micro-bioplastics in environmental samples by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

2022

Journal Article

Occurrence of tire and road wear particles in urban and peri-urban snowbanks, and their potential environmental implications

Rødland, Elisabeth S., Lind, Ole Christian, Reid, Malcolm J., Heier, Lene S., Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra, Thomas, Kevin V. and Meland, Sondre (2022). Occurrence of tire and road wear particles in urban and peri-urban snowbanks, and their potential environmental implications. Science of The Total Environment, 824 153785, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153785

Occurrence of tire and road wear particles in urban and peri-urban snowbanks, and their potential environmental implications

2022

Journal Article

The message on the bottle: rethinking plastic labelling to better encourage sustainable use

Burrows, Stephen D., Ribeiro, Francisca, O'Brien, Stacey, Okoffo, Elvis, Toapanta, Tania, Charlton, Nathan, Kaserzon, Sarit, Lin, Chun-Yin, Tang, Cheng, Rauert, Cassandra, Wang, Xianyu, Shimko, Katja, O'Brien, Jake, Townsend, Piers A., Grayson, Matthew N., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). The message on the bottle: rethinking plastic labelling to better encourage sustainable use. Environmental Science and Policy, 132, 109-118. doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2022.02.015

The message on the bottle: rethinking plastic labelling to better encourage sustainable use

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

Does size matter? Quantification of plastics associated with size fractionated biosolids

2022

Journal Article

A novel method for the quantification of tire and polymer-modified bitumen particles in environmental samples by pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectroscopy

Rødland, Elisabeth S., Samanipour, Saer, Rauert, Cassandra, Okoffo, Elvis D., Reid, Malcom J., Heier, Lene S., Lind, Ole Christian, Thomas, Kevin V. and Meland, Sondre (2022). A novel method for the quantification of tire and polymer-modified bitumen particles in environmental samples by pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectroscopy. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 423 (Pt A) 127092, 127092. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127092

A novel method for the quantification of tire and polymer-modified bitumen particles in environmental samples by pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectroscopy

2022

Journal Article

Phthalate esters in face masks and associated inhalation exposure risk

Wang, Xianyu, Okoffo, Elvis D., Banks, Andrew P. W., Li, Yan, Thomas, Kevin V., Rauert, Cassandra, Aylward, Lesa L. and Mueller, Jochen F. (2022). Phthalate esters in face masks and associated inhalation exposure risk. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 423 (Pt A) 127001, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127001

Phthalate esters in face masks and associated inhalation exposure risk

2022

Journal Article

Concentrations of tire additive chemicals and tire road wear particles in an Australian urban tributary

Rauert, Cassandra, Charlton, Nathan, Okoffo, Elvis D., Stanton, Ryan S., Agua, Alon R., Pirrung, Michael C. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Concentrations of tire additive chemicals and tire road wear particles in an Australian urban tributary. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (4), 2421-2431. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07451

Concentrations of tire additive chemicals and tire road wear particles in an Australian urban tributary

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2028
    ARC Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (ARC ITRP administered by the University of Tasmania)
    University of Tasmania
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    Identification of chemical and biological determinants, their sources, and strategies to promote healthier homes in Europe (INQUIRE)
    NHMRC European Union Collaborative Research Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024
    All 'roads' flow to the sea, capturing road-based plastic pollution
    Central Queensland University
    Open grant
  • 2020
    The first environmental assessment of vulcanisation agents from microplastic tyre wear particles in the Australian environment.
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Cassandra Rauert is:
Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.

Available projects

  • High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Ubiquitous Environmental Contaminants of Emerging Concern

    A clear challenge for environmental regulatory agencies globally is the identification of emerging chemical hazards. Evolving capabilities in high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS – AB Sciex) now allow for the retrospective suspect screening of archived data. A proposed approach for the effective identification of emerging chemical risks is the sharing of HRMS data to investigate the environmental occurrence of newly identified contaminants without the need to collect and analyse new samples. This ICHDR project will develop the data processing workflows (algorithm and platform selection) that will allow for the effective identification of new chemical hazards within the context of understanding risk associated with exposure. The outcome of this project will be validated advanced techniques and data processing workflows to identify ubiquitous chemical hazards that are historic, new or emerging.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Cassandra Rauert directly for media enquiries about:

  • Environmental exposure
  • Human exposure
  • Microplastics
  • Plastic additives
  • Tyre wear

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