Associate Professor Thava Palanisami is the Director of the Environmental Plastics Innovation Cluster (EPIC) at the University of Newcastle. He completed his PhD in 2010 at the University of South Australia, focusing on the risk assessment and remediation of mixed contaminants.

Thava’s groundbreaking research showed that chemicals in contaminated sites exist as mixtures, which are more toxic and bioavailable than individual contaminants, challenging decades of previous assumptions.

Following his PhD, Thava worked in field-level remediation, playing a key role in developing cost-effective, green technologies for cleaning contaminated mine sites. His team pioneered the first field implementation of Risk-Based Land Management (RBLM) in Australia, a concept that reshaped the management of contaminated soils.

Over the past decade, Thava’s research on mixed contaminants led him to explore contaminant transformation products (CTPs), which are often more bioavailable and toxic than their parent chemicals. His current focus is on emerging contaminants like microplastics and PFAS, investigating their environmental and human health impacts.

Thava also leads research on pollution and human health for the NHMRC-Healthy Environment and Lives program.

He has published over 100 papers and supervised more than 10 PhD students.