College
College of Engineering and Polymer Science
Date of Last Revision
2024-09-19 12:09:19
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
Included in
Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Behavioral Neurobiology Commons, Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons, Complex Mixtures Commons, Food Chemistry Commons