Research Interests

Dr. Alexander Tagg is a postdoctoral researcher. He is currently working within the project OTC genomics and previously as PI for his own DFG-funded project PaintSed here at the IOW, which determined how antifouling paint particles infuence marine sediment microbial communities and how machine learning could be used predict paint pollution presence based on microbial community data. Alongside this work, Dr. Tagg will continue to contribute to wider microplastic research.

Dr. Tagg completed his Ph.D. at Swansea University, UK. This Ph.D. was concerned with assessing the fate of microplastics derived from industrial and domestic products in the water treatment process. This included the use of next-generation sequencing to investigate microplastic-biofilm formation in wastewater. Additionally, during this Ph.D., Dr. Tagg developed a new technique for identifying and quantifying microplastics using spectroscopic imaging, utilising a focal plane array-based reflectance micro-Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopic (FPA-based reflectance microFT-IR) approach. He then moved to the IOW and worked as a postdoc within the large BMBF-funded MicroCatch_Balt project which investigated microplastic presence in and around the Warnow river system and used information generated to build a model of microplastic dymanics within such a system. 

Publications and Qualifications

2024

Tagg, A. S. & Labrenz, M.  (2024). Impacts of climate change on microbial communities in the Baltic Sea. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science.

Tagg, A. S., T. Sperlea, T., Hassenrück, C., Kreikemeyer, B.,, Fischer, D.,, Labrenz, M. (2023) Microplastic-antifouling paint particle contamination alters microbial communities in surrounding marine sediment. Science of The Total Environment, 926, 171863

2023

Tagg, A. S. (2023) Microplastic paint particle production for spiking experiments; silicone rubber as application material provide high yield with low effort. Microplastics & Nanoplastics, 3, 12

2022

Tagg, A. S. & Labrenz, M. (2022). The Microplastic Pollution Problem and the sea - A child-centric microbiology education framework.The International Microbiology Literacy Initiative

Tagg, A. S., Spearlea, T., Labrenz, M., Harrison, J.P., Ojeda, J. J. & Sapp, M. (2022). Year-Long Microbial Succession on Microplastics in Wastewater: Chaotic Dynamics Outweigh Preferential Growth. Microorganisms, 10, 1775

2021

DFG-funded project "PaintSED" - Paint Particles in Marine Sediment: Interactions with Microbiota and Effects on Sediment Processes

Tagg, A. S., Brandes, E., Fischer, F., Fischer, D., Brandt J. & Labrenz, M. (2021). Agricultural application of microplastic-rich sewage sludge leads to further uncontrolled contamination. Science of the Total Environment, 806, 150611

2020

Tagg, A. S., Sapp, M., Harrison, J. P., Sinclair, C. J., Bradley, E., Ju-Nam, Y., & Ojeda, J. J. (2020). Microplastic Monitoring at Different Stages in a Wastewater Treatment Plant Using Reflectance Micro-FTIR Imaging. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8, 145

Enders, K., Tagg, A. S. & Labrenz, M. (2020) Evaluation of Electrostatic Separation of Microplastics from Mineral-Rich Environmental Samples. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8, 112

Enders, K., Lenz, R., Ivar do Sul, J. A., Tagg, A. S. & Labrenz, M. When every particle matters: a QuEChERS approach to extract microplastics from environmental samples. MethodsX, 7, 100784

Brandt, J., Bittrich, L., Fischer, F., Kanaki, E., Tagg, A. S., Lenz, R., Labrenz, M., Brandes, E., Fischer, D., & Eichhorn, K. J. (2020). High-Throughput Analyses of Microplastic Samples Using Fourier Transform Infrared and Raman Spectrometry. Applied Spectroscopy, 74, 1185-1197

2019

Tagg, A. S., Oberbeckmann, S., Fischer, D., Kreikemeyer, B. & Labrenz, M. Paint particles are a distinct and variable substrate for marine bacteria. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 146, 117-124

Tagg, A.S.& Ivar do Sul, J.A. (2019) Is this Your Glitter? An overlooked but potentially environmentally-valuable microplastic. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 146, 50-53

Klaeger, F.*, Tagg, A.S.* Otto, S., Bienmüller, M., Sartorius, I. & Labrenz, M. (2019) Residual Monomer Content Affects the Interpretation of Plastic Degradation. Scientific Reports, 9, 2120

2018

Ivar do Sul, J.A., Tagg, A.S. & Labrenz, M. (2018). Exploring the common denominator between microplastics and microbiology: a scientometric approach. Scientometrics, 1-15

Tagg, A. S., Labrenz, M. (2018). Closing microplastic pathways before they open: A model approach. Environmental Science and Technology, 52, 3340–3341

Harrison, J. P., Hoellein, T. J., Sapp, M., & Tagg, A. S. Ju-Nam, Y. K., Ojeda, J.J.(2018). Freshwater Microplastics, 58, 181–201. 

2017

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) awarded in Nanotechnology from Swansea University - Assessing the Fate of Microplastics Derived from Industrial and Domestic Products in the Water Treatment Process

2016

Tagg, A. S., Harrison, J., Ju-Nam, Y. K., Sapp, M., Bradley, E. L., Sinclair, C. J., & Ojeda, J. J. (2016). Fenton’s reagent for the rapid and efficient isolation of microplastics from wastewater. Chemical Communications, 53, 372–375. 

2015

Tagg, A. S., Sapp, M., Harrison, J. P., & Ojeda, J. J. (2015). Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Wastewater Using Focal Plane Array-Based Reflectance Micro-FT-IR Imaging. Analytical Chemistry, 87(12), 6032–6040.

2013

Bachelor of Science Honours (BSc Hons.) awarded in Zoology from Royal Holloway University of London

*Dual-First Authtors