This study investigates the magnitude of heavy metal contamination of maple syrup. The ingestion or inhalation of lead (Pb) by humans can be toxic, potentially leading to health-related issues, such as memory loss, heart disease, and reduced fertility. While the United States banned the use of leaded paints for household uses in 1978, lead contamination remains a concern from existing sources of leaded paint and water pipes, solder, and smelting. In the maple syrup industry, many pieces of equipment, including the metal taps and tin collecting buckets used in the sugaring process, have been known to contain leaded materials. To determine the extent of lead contamination in maple syrups we will evaluate syrup samples with a Perkin Elmer Flame/Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The syrup will be collected from a variety of sugar farms in St. Lawrence County (NY) and Chittenden County (VT). In addition to lead, the concentration of other metals, including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), and iron (Fe) will also be determined. By analyzing the concentration of lead and other metals in maple syrup, it could show the extent to which different pieces of equipment in the sugaring process are able to contaminate maple syrup.

Determination of lead and other heavy metal contamination of maple syrup produced in St. Lawrence and Chittenden counties

255th National Meeting (2018)

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