Overview
Background
Dr. Elvis Okoffo is a Research Fellow at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Australia. His research is centred on developing innovative analytical methods to characterize and monitor environmental and human exposures associated with plastics. He has pioneered novel sampling approaches and analytical techniques for the rapid screening and monitoring of various types of plastics, including microplastics, nanoplastics, and biodegradable plastics in environmental samples (e.g., drinking water, wastewater, biosolids, seafood, marine water and sediments, compost, food, road dust, among others). By leveraging cutting-edge technologies (such as pressurised liquid extraction, ultrafiltration and pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry) and scientific methodologies, his research aims to provide valuable insights into the distribution, abundance, and impacts of plastic pollution, ultimately contributing to the development of effective strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of plastic pollution on ecosystems and human health.
Availability
- Dr Elvis Okoffo is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours), University for Development Studies
- Masters (Research), University of Ghana
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Elvis Okoffo’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Book Chapter
Aims of the analysis and the choices of analytical methods
De-la-Torre, Gabriel Enrique, Dioses-Salinas, Diana Carolina, Fernández Severini, Melisa D., Forero López, Ana D., Dobaradaran, Sina, Toapanta, Tania Yessenia Alajo and Okoffo, Elvis D. (2025). Aims of the analysis and the choices of analytical methods. Analysis of Microplastics and Nanoplastics. (pp. 63-77) Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-443-15779-0.00001-8
2024
Journal Article
Unscrambling why plastics aren't detectable in chicken eggs
Tariq, Anum, Okoffo, Elvis D., Fenti, Angelo, Fu, Hongrui and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Unscrambling why plastics aren't detectable in chicken eggs. Chemosphere, 367 143584, 143584. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143584
2024
Journal Article
Plastic Deposition in Sediments of Moreton Bay, Australia: A Historical Perspective and Potential Future Projections
Yenney, Emma, Okoffo, Elvis D., Tscharke, Ben J., Grinham, Alistair, Bostock, Helen C. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Plastic Deposition in Sediments of Moreton Bay, Australia: A Historical Perspective and Potential Future Projections. ACS ES&T Water, 4 (10), 4510-4520. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.4c00536
2024
Journal Article
Plastic pollution and health metrics in wild juvenile green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) from two Ecuadorian national parks: Galápagos and Machalilla
Muñoz-Pérez, Juan Pablo, Lewbart, Gregory A., Toapanta, Tania, Chadwick, Helen, Okoffo, Elvis D., Alarcón-Ruales, Daniela, Zurita-Arthos, Leo, Jones, Jen S., Cisneros, Fernando, Moreira-Mendieta, Andres, Vintimilla-Palacios, Cristina, Miranda, Cristina, Vallejo, Felipe, Houck, Emma, Alemán, Rubén, Escobar-Flores, Kamila, Skehel, Alice, Castañeda, Jason, Secoura, Patricia, Vaden, Shelly, Lewis, Ceri, Galloway, Tamara, Wallace, Bryan, Godley, Brendan J., Cole, Matthew, Lindeque, Penelope, Thomas, Kevin V., Potvin, Dominique A., Valle, Carlos A. and Townsend, Kathy A. (2024). Plastic pollution and health metrics in wild juvenile green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) from two Ecuadorian national parks: Galápagos and Machalilla. Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science, 2. doi: 10.3389/famrs.2024.1439512
2024
Journal Article
Preparation of polystyrene microplastic particles by solvent-dissolution-precipitation
Karanam, Kavitha, Okoffo, Elvis D., Shukla, Pradeep, Thomas, Kevin.V. and Rudolph, Victor (2024). Preparation of polystyrene microplastic particles by solvent-dissolution-precipitation. Sustainable Chemistry for the Environment, 7 100144, 100144. doi: 10.1016/j.scenv.2024.100144
2024
Journal Article
Limited exposure of captive Australian marsupials to plastics
Okoffo, Elvis D., Lu, Wei-Cheng, Yenney, Emma and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Limited exposure of captive Australian marsupials to plastics. Science of The Total Environment, 930 172716, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172716
2024
Journal Article
UV sources and plastic composition influence microplastic surface degradation: implications for plastic weathering studies
Burrows, Stephen, Colwell, John, Costanzo, Sarah, Kaserzon, Sarit, Okoffo, Elvis, Ribeiro, Francisca, O'Brien, Stacey, Toapanta, Tania, Rauert, Cassandra, Thomas, Kevin V. and Galloway, Tamara (2024). UV sources and plastic composition influence microplastic surface degradation: implications for plastic weathering studies. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 14 100428, 100428. doi: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2024.100428
2024
Journal Article
Mass quantification of nanoplastics at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Okoffo, Elvis D. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Mass quantification of nanoplastics at wastewater treatment plants by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Water Research, 254 121397, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121397
2024
Journal Article
Assessing the current state of plastic pollution research in Antarctica: Knowledge gaps and recommendations
De-la-Torre, Gabriel Enrique, Santillán, Luis, Dioses-Salinas, Diana Carolina, Yenney, Emma, Toapanta, Tania, Okoffo, Elvis D., Kannan, Gunasekaran, Madadi, Reyhane and Dobaradaran, Sina (2024). Assessing the current state of plastic pollution research in Antarctica: Knowledge gaps and recommendations. Chemosphere, 355 141870, 141870. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141870
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
2024
Journal Article
Quantitative analysis of nanoplastics in environmental and potable waters by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Okoffo, Elvis D. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Quantitative analysis of nanoplastics in environmental and potable waters by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 464 133013, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133013
2024
Journal Article
Plastic pollution in Moreton Bay sediments, Southeast Queensland, Australia
Okoffo, Elvis D., Tan, Emmeline, Grinham, Alistair, Gaddam, Sai Meghna Reddy, Yip, Josie Yee Hang, Twomey, Alice J., Thomas, Kevin V. and Bostock, Helen (2024). Plastic pollution in Moreton Bay sediments, Southeast Queensland, Australia. Science of The Total Environment, 920 170987, 170987. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170987
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
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
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
2023
Journal Article
Microplastics in agroecosystems: A review of effects on soil biota and key soil functions
Shafea, Leila, Yap, Julia, Beriot, Nicolas, Felde, Vincent J. M. N. L., Okoffo, Elvis D., Enyoh, Christian Ebere and Peth, Stephan (2023). Microplastics in agroecosystems: A review of effects on soil biota and key soil functions. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 186 (1), 5-22. doi: 10.1002/jpln.202200136
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
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
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
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
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Elvis Okoffo is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Microplastics in water system: Issues and treatment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
Non-Targeted High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Characterisation of Highly Mobile and Highly Persistent Chemicals
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Cassie Rauert, Dr Jake O'Brien
-
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Specialised Hyphenated Methodologies for Quantifying New Halogenated Plastic Materials
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jake O'Brien, Professor Kevin Thomas, Dr Cassie Rauert
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing microplastic inputs from ships
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cassie Rauert, Professor Kevin Thomas
-
Doctor Philosophy
development of accurate quantitative methods for microplastics in the terrestrial and marine environments
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker, Associate Professor Sarit Kaserzon, Professor Kevin Thomas
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Elvis Okoffo directly for media enquiries about:
- Biodegradable plastics in the environment
- Biodegradable plastics pollution
- environmental impact of plastics pollution
- Microplastics pollution
- Nanoplastics pollution
- Plastics pollution in the environment
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