Effects of Energy Drink Additives on Crayfish Metabolism

Author

Katherine PaltzFollow

College

College of Engineering and Polymer Science

Date of Last Revision

2024-06-04 07:51:54

Major

Chemical Engineering

Honors Course

BIOL:499

Number of Credits

3

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Date of Expected Graduation

Spring 2024

Abstract

The effects of caffeine and additives commonly found in energy drinks were tested on crayfish to record changes, if any, in their metabolism. Three experimental groups were studied: 1. Caffeine; 2. Caffeine + Glucuronolactone; 3.) Caffeine + Glucuronolactone + Taurine. Caffeine is a common stimulant used to improve mental awareness, headaches, memory, and athletic performance. Glucuronolactone is connected with cardiovascular issues and aggressive behavior. Taurine is said to improve mood and focus. The experiment was performed at two different caffeine levels: 600mg and 1200mg for an initial 1 hour of exposure and 10 hours after exposure used as a pseudo-baseline. This study aimed to examine the impact of energy drink additives on crayfish metabolism and recovery time by studying the changes in oxygen concentration when exposed to caffeine, glucuronolactone, and taurine. The data comparing the metabolic rates of the pseudo-control-recovery group and the treatment groups were not significantly different. Therefore, the hypothesis could not be supported at this time nor any comparison to human effects. Improvements can be made with stronger treatment groups, increased sample size, and more sensitive measurements.

Research Sponsor

Brian Bagatto

First Reader

Richard Londraville

Second Reader

Ashley Ramer

Honors Faculty Advisor

Brian Bagatto

Proprietary and/or Confidential Information

No

Recommended Citation

Paltz, Katherine, "Effects of Energy Drink Additives on Crayfish Metabolism" (2024). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1898.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1898