Neonicotinoids are a group of systemic insecticides with a similar structure and function to nicotine. Due to their hydrophilic characteristics, the environmental fate of a large proportion of the applied product is the aquatic environment, where little is known about their behaviour and impact.
The aim of this project is to investigate the behaviour of neonicotinoids and their degradation products in the Australian aquatic environment and to discover the impact this may be having. This work involves the development of sensitive analytical methods for the qualitative and quantitative detection of neonicotinoids in environmental matrices including wastewater influent and effluent, freshwater, groundwater, and coastal marine systems.
Conference Abstracts
Beggs, C., Ghorbani Gorji, S., Gomez-Ramos, M.J., Chan, C.M., Thomas, K.V. & Kaserzon, S. Identification of neonicotinoid transformation products in aquatic environments, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe conference, 5-9 May 2024.
Beggs, Ghorbani Gorji, S., Thomas, K.V. & Kaserzon, S. Environmental monitoring of neonicotinoids in Australian aquatic environments, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Australiasia conference, 7-11 August 2023.
Beggs, C., Clokey, J., Ghorbani Gorji, S., Thomas, K.V. & Kaserzon, S. Exposure assessment and risk of widespread use of neonicotinoids in the Moreton Bay catchment, Australian Marine Science Association (AMSA) Conference, 2-7 July 2023.
Beggs, C., Alongi, C., Gorji, S.G., Schulze, B., Thomas, K.V., Kaserzon, S. Target and suspect screening of neonicotinoids and their transformation products in environmental matrices, Queensland Mass Spectrometry Symposium, Brisbane, Australia, 1-2 December 2022.
Awards and Prizes
- 2022 School of Pharmacy/Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, Three Minute Thesis competition Runner up
- 2022 Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Three Minute Thesis competition Finalist (Highly commended)
- 2023 School of Pharmacy/Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, Three Minute Thesis competition Runner up
- 2023 Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Three Minute Thesis competition Finalist (Runner up)
