Dr Sebastian Steigenberger

I am supporting the scientists and engineers of the Ocean Technology and Engineering group in their scientific work on sensor development and as the group’s H&S advisor.

My own scientific work focuses on developing a method for the detection of dissolved organic nutrients (DON, DOP) for a lab on a chip (LOC) application.

Previously I have worked on the speciation of iron in seawater (flow injection analysis, voltammetry, ID–ICPMS) and how it is affected biologically (TEP, polysaccharides) and photochemically (UV, H₂O₂). The speciation of iron is important for the availability of this essential trace element to phytoplankton. Via photosynthetic carbon uptake phytoplankton plays a major role in the CO₂ exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean. However, in large regions of the ocean phytoplankton growth is partly limited by iron. In Eric Achterberg’s work group I have been working (2008–2012) in a NERC funded project, which focuses on the Iron Biogeochemistry in the High Latitude North Atlantic Ocean. This project aims to assess whether community productivity in parts of the high latitude N Atlantic is Fe limited following the annual spring bloom and determine the factors which lead to this situation.