Dr Cassie Rauert
Dr

Cassie Rauert

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Phone: 
+61 7 334 61814

Background

Cassandra is a Senior Research Fellow at QAEHS, joining the group in 2019. She completed her PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2014 where her research focussed on determining how humans are exposed to flame retardants from their indoor environments. Following her PhD she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Environment and Climate Change Canada where she was the principal researcher for the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network, researching chemicals of concern in the atmosphere. Following her Postdoctoral Fellowship she worked for the Oil Sands Monitoring Program in Canada, assisting with facilitating a multi-stakeholder funding program for assessing environmental impact of Oil Sands operations, before returning to Australia in 2019.

At QAEHS she is the project lead 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 the chemical additives they contain on urban water ways, and developing novel biomonitoring methods for assessing human exposure to chemicals of concern (e.g. silicone wristbands and breast implants).

Availability

Dr Cassie 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

  • 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.

  • 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.

Search Professor Cassie Rauert’s works on UQ eSpace

63 works between 2013 and 2025
All (63) Journal Article (63)

61 - 63 of 63 works

2014

Journal Article

Test chamber and forensic microscopy investigation of the transfer of brominated flame retardants into indoor dust via abrasion of source materials

Rauert, C., Harrad, S., Suzuki, G., Takigami, H., Uchida, N. and Takata, K. (2014). Test chamber and forensic microscopy investigation of the transfer of brominated flame retardants into indoor dust via abrasion of source materials. Science of the Total Environment, 493, 639-648. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.029

Test chamber and forensic microscopy investigation of the transfer of brominated flame retardants into indoor dust via abrasion of source materials

2014

Journal Article

A review of chamber experiments for determining specific emission rates and investigating migration pathways of flame retardants

Rauert, Cassandra, Lazarov, Borislav, Harrad, Stuart, Covaci, Adrian and Stranger, Marianne (2014). A review of chamber experiments for determining specific emission rates and investigating migration pathways of flame retardants. Atmospheric Environment, 82, 44-55. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.10.003

A review of chamber experiments for determining specific emission rates and investigating migration pathways of flame retardants

2013

Journal Article

Exposure to flame retardant chemicals on commercial airplanes

Allen, Joseph G., Stapleton, Heather M., Vallarino, Jose, McNeely, Eileen, McClean, Michael D., Harrad, Stuart J., Rauert, Cassandra B. and Spengler, John D. (2013). Exposure to flame retardant chemicals on commercial airplanes. Environmental Health, 12 (1) 17. doi: 10.1186/1476-069x-12-17

Exposure to flame retardant chemicals on commercial airplanes

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 Cassie Rauert is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Non-invasive samplers for characterising chemical exposure

    We are continually exposed to a complex mixture of chemical pollutants through several pathways. Our exposures are highly specific, with different patterns of exposure from the different aspects of our lives. Increasing complexity in the chemicals being used and produced makes characterising this exposure increasingly challenging. To address this challenge there is a need for improved and robust biomonitoring methods to understand the complete picture of our exposures which will facilitate effective mitigation strategies against exposure to chemicals of high concern.

    This project will develop and apply polydimethylsiloxane (silicone) as a non-invasive human biomonitoring device to advancing understanding on key and unknown chemical exposures to the Australian population. Using silicone wristbands and donated silicone prostheses (breast implants) chemical exposures in a range of scenarios will be quantified through both target and non-target chemical analysis using chromatographic techniques coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/LC-MS). The successful applicant will have access to a range of archived samplers specific to various exposure scenarios as well as the advanced analytical instrumentation necessary to successfully complete the project.

  • 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.

  • 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

Enquiries

Contact Dr Cassie Rauert directly for media enquiries about:

  • environmental impact of tyres
  • Microplastics
  • tyre chemicals
  • tyre wear in the environment

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