Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

Colin Robins

Reader 2

Donald McFarlane

Abstract

Pet food safety has become a concern due to recurring contamination incidents and limited federal regulation of toxic metal concentrations. This study investigates the elemental composition of 15 commercial dog and cat foods. Representing dry, canned, and fresh dog food types, using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The primary objective was to quantify concentrations of potentially harmful heavy metals (Cr, Pb, As, Hg, Cd) and assess the presence of abundant elements such as aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), and sodium (Na). All five target heavy metals were below instrument detection limits, suggesting that current pet food formulations may meet acceptable safety standards under FDA guidance levels. However, high aluminum and sodium concentrations found in ICP-OES show significant compositional variability among brands and food types. XRF analysis confirmed consistently high silicon levels (20–35%), likely reflecting the use of grain-based fillers and mineral additives. While the absence of detectable toxic metals is encouraging, the elevated concentrations of aluminum, silicon, and sodium are concerning and bear further study. Considering the risk of chronic exposure and bioaccumulation, this study provides new insights into elemental patterns in commercial pet foods and shows the importance of establishing enforceable regulatory standards for nonessential metals.

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