Researcher biography
Elvis holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University for Development Studies, Ghana, and a Master of Philosophy degree in Environmental Science from the University of Ghana. He completed his PhD at QAEHS in 2021, focusing on developing quantitative analytical methods to measure (mass-based concentration) and provide an understanding of plastic residues in Australian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) biosolids, and subsequent releases into the Australian environment. Elvis’s current research focuses on developing novel sampling approaches and analytical techniques for monitoring plastic residues in environmental samples.
Journal Articles
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, 121397. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121397
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
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
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, 133013. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133013
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
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
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
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
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
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 & Nanoplastics, 1 (1), 4. doi: 10.20517/wecn.2022.22
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
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
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
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
Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Y., Okoffo, Elvis D. and Mensah, Michael (2022). Assessment of farmers' knowledge and pesticides management in cocoa production in Ghana. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 9 (3), 100-110. doi: 10.21833/ijaas.2022.03.012
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
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
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
Rauert, Cassandra, Pan, Yufei, Okoffo, Elvis D., O’Brien, Jake W. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2022). Extraction and pyrolysis-GC-MS analysis of polyethylene in samples with medium to high lipid content. Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment, 1 (2) 13, 13. doi: 10.20517/jeea.2022.04
De-la-Torre, Gabriel Enrique, Pizarro-Ortega, Carlos Ivan, Dioses-Salinas, Diana Carolina, Ammendolia, Justine and Okoffo, Elvis D. (2021). Investigating the current status of COVID-19 related plastics and their potential impact on human health. Current Opinion in Toxicology, 27, 47-53. doi: 10.1016/j.cotox.2021.08.002
O’Brien, Stacey, Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Rauert, Cassandra, O’Brien, Jake W., Ribeiro, Francisca, Burrows, Stephen D., Toapanta, Tania, Wang, Xianyu and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Quantification of selected microplastics in Australian urban road dust. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 416 125811, 125811. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125811
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
Dessì, Claudia, Okoffo, Elvis D., O’Brien, Jake W., Gallen, Michael, Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Rauert, Cassandra, Wang, Xianyu and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Plastics contamination of store-bought rice. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 416 125778, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125778
Toapanta, Tania, Okoffo, Elvis D., Ede, Sarah, O'Brien, Stacey, Burrows, Stephen D., Ribeiro, Francisca, Gallen, Michael, Colwell, John, Whittaker, Andrew K., Kaserzon, Sarit and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Influence of surface oxidation on the quantification of polypropylene microplastics by pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Science of the Total Environment, 796 148835, 148835. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148835
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
Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., O’Brien, Jake W., O’Brien, Stacey, Harris, Jonathan M., Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Mueller, Jochen F., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Out of sight but not out of mind: size fractionation of plastics bioaccumulated by field deployed oysters. Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters, 2 100021, 100021. doi: 10.1016/j.hazl.2021.100021
Fadare, Oluniyi O., Okoffo, Elvis D. and Olasehinde, Emmanuel F. (2021). Microparticles and microplastics contamination in African table salts. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 164 112006, 112006. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112006
Alimi, Olubukola S., Fadare, Oluniyi O. and Okoffo, Elvis D. (2021). Microplastics in African ecosystems: current knowledge, abundance, associated contaminants, techniques, and research needs. Science of the Total Environment, 755 (Pt 1) 142422, 142422. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142422
Rauert, Cassandra, Rødland, Elisabeth S., Okoffo, Elvis D., Reid, Malcolm J., Meland, Sondre and Thomas, Kevin V. (2021). Challenges with quantifying tire road wear particles: recognizing the need for further refinement of the ISO technical specification. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 8 (3) acs.estlett.0c00949, 231-236. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00949
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
O'Brien, Stacey, Okoffo, Elvis D., O'Brien, Jake W., Ribeiro, Francisca, Wang, Xianyu, Wright, Stephanie L., Samanipour, Saer, Rauert, Cassandra, Toapanta, Tania Yessenia Alajo, Albarracin, Rizsa and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Airborne emissions of microplastic fibres from domestic laundry dryers. Science of the Total Environment, 747 141175, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141175
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
Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., O’Brien, Jake W., Fraissinet-Tachet, Sarah, O’Brien, Stacey, Gallen, Michael, Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Mueller, Jochen F., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Response to comment on “Quantitative analysis of selected plastics in high-commercial-value Australian seafood by pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry”. Environmental Science and Technology, 54 (23), 15556-15557. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c07097
Rødland, Elisabeth S., Okoffo, Elvis D., Rauert, Cassandra, Heier, Lene S., Lind, Ole Christian, Reid, Malcolm, Thomas, Kevin V. and Meland, Sondre (2020). Road de-icing salt: Assessment of a potential new source and pathway of microplastics particles from roads. Science of the Total Environment, 738 139352, 139352. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139352
Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., O’Brien, Jake W., Fraissinet-Tachet, Sarah, O’Brien, Stacey, Gallen, Michael, Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Mueller, Jochen F., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Correction to Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Environmental Science & Technology, 54 (20), 13364-13364. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05885
Fadare, Oluniyi O. and Okoffo, Elvis D. (2020). Covid-19 face masks: a potential source of microplastic fibers in the environment. Science of the Total Environment, 737 140279, 140279. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140279
Ribeiro, Francisca, Okoffo, Elvis D., O'Brien, Jake W., Fraissinet-Tachet, Sarah, O'Brien, Stacey, Gallen, Michael, Samanipour, Saer, Kaserzon, Sarit, Mueller, Jochen F., Galloway, Tamara and Thomas, Kevin V. (2020). Quantitative Analysis of Selected Plastics in High-Commercial-Value Australian Seafood by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Environmental Science & Technology, 54 (15) acs.est.0c02337, 9408-9417. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02337
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
Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, O'Brien, Stacey, O’Brien, Jake W., Tscharke, Ben and Thomas, Kevin V. (2019). Wastewater treatment plants as a source of plastics in the environment: a review of occurrence, methods for identification, quantification and fate. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 5 (11), 1908-1931. doi: 10.1039/c9ew00428a
Denkyirah, Elisha Kwaku, Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Adu, Derick Taylor and Bosompem, Ohene Asa (2017). What are the drivers of cocoa farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies in Ghana?. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 3 (1), 1334296. doi: 10.1080/23311932.2017.1334296
Okoffo, Elvis D., Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Y. and Gordon, Christopher (2017). Contamination levels of organophosphorus and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides in cocoa beans from Ghana. Food Control, 73, 1371-1378. doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.11.004
Denkyirah, Elisha Kwaku, Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Adu, Derick Taylor, Aziz, Ahmed Abdul, Ofori, Amoako and Denkyirah, Elijah Kofi (2016). Modeling Ghanaian cocoa farmers' decision to use pesticide and frequency of application: the case of Brong Ahafo Region. Springerplus, 5 (1) 1113. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-2779-z
Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Y., Okoffo, Elvis D., Darko, Godfred and Gordon, Christopher (2016). Assessment of organochlorine pesticide residues in soils and drinking water sources from cocoa farms in Ghana. Springerplus, 5 (1) 869. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-2352-9
Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Denkyirah, Elisha Kwaku, Adu, Derick Taylor and Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Yayra (2016). A double-hurdle model estimation of cocoa farmers' willingness to pay for crop insurance in Ghana. SpringerPlus, 5 (1) 873. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-2561-2
Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Mensah, Michael and Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Yayra (2016). Pesticides exposure and the use of personal protective equipment by cocoa farmers in Ghana. Environmental Systems Research, 5 (1) 17, 17. doi: 10.1186/s40068-016-0068-z
Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Y., Okoffo, Elvis D. and Mensah, Michael (2016). Synthetic pyrethroids pesticide residues in soils and drinking water sources from cocoa farms in Ghana. Environment and Pollution, 5 (1), 60-72. doi: 10.5539/ep.v5n1p60
Denkyirah, Elisha Kwaku, Aziz, Ahmed Abdul, Denkyirah, Elijah Kofi, Nketiah, Ofori Obeng and Okoffo, Elvis Dartey (2016). Access to credit and constraint analysis: the case of smallholder rice farmers in Ghana. Journal of Agricultural Studies, 4 (2), 53-72. doi: 10.5296/jas.v4i2.9167
Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Yayra, Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Darko, Godfred and Gordon, Christopher (2016). Organophosphorus pesticide residues in soils and drinking water sources from cocoa producing areas in Ghana. Environmental Systems Research, 5 (1) 10. doi: 10.1186/s40068-016-0063-4
Denkyirah, Elisha, Adu, Derick, Aziz, Ahmed, Denkyirah, Elijah and Okoffo, Elvis (2016). Analysis of the factors influencing smallholder rice farmers’ access to credit in the upper east region of Ghana. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 10 (4), 1-11. doi: 10.9734/ajaees/2016/24768
Okoffo, Elvis D., Fosu-Mensah, Benedicta Y. and Gordon, Christopher (2016). Persistent organochlorine pesticide residues in cocoa beans from Ghana, a concern for public health. International Journal of Food Contamination, 3 (1) 5. doi: 10.1186/s40550-016-0028-4
Conference Paper
Okoffo, Elvis Dartey, Ribeiro, Francisca, O'Brien, Stacey, O'Brien, Jake, Gallen, Michael and Thomas, Kevin (2019). Microplastics quantification in complex environment samples using combined solvent extraction and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fall National Meeting and Exposition of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS), San Diego, CA United States, 25-29 August 2019. Washington, DC United States: American Chemical Society.
Thesis
Okoffo, Elvis Dartey (2021). An assessment of plastic residues in Australian biosolids. PhD Thesis, School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/df49a13