By Calleigh Keeley, Liv Ewing

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sarah Smith

Abstract

Energy drinks are popular beverages among college students and young adults across the country, but a lot of the ingredients present are unknown to the consumers. While caffeine and vitamin concentrations are stated on the ingredients label, other ingredients listed are not quantified on the label. Using an ICP-AES the concentration of trace metals, like Al from the can, as well as other molecules that contain metals can be determined. Using a Semi-Quant Scan, several elements including sodium (169 ppm), magnesium (117 ppm), sulfur (502 ppm), and calcium (9.5 ppm), were identified along with trace levels of boron, silicon, iron, and phosphorus. Most of these elements were attributed to common ingredients in energy drinks, while other sources could not be identified. Specific concentration data was found for trace Al, using external calibration curves, which determined the concentration to be 0.38 mg in a 12 oz can. While Semi-Quant analysis only determines relative concentrations, this study will analyze the method to quantify Al concentration and propose new methods to determine specific concentrations for metals found in the Semi-Quant scan.