Alexander Tagg

Dr. Alexander Tagg is a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), focusing on microplastic pollution and its impacts on marine microbial communities. As principal investigator for the DFG-funded project PaintSed, he investigates how paint particles alter sediment microbiota and employs machine learning to model pollution levels from microbial data.

• Ph.D. in Nanotechnology (Swansea University, 2017)
• B.Sc. Hons in Zoology (Royal Holloway, 2013)

His research spans microplastic-biofilm interactions, electrostatic separation techniques, and environmental impact assessments. Key methodologies include reflectance micro-FTIR imaging and microplastic spiking experiments.

Recent publications address:

• Mechanisms of microplastic contamination in marine sediments
• Role of paint particles in microbial community shifts
• Advancements in microplastic extraction from complex matrices

He contributes to BMBF-funded MicroCatch_Balt and collaborates on marine pollution dynamics in the Baltic Sea region.