Student Research Reports

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The purpose of this project is to find out how maple tree (Acer) nitrate and phosphate intake from soil runoff would affect maple syrup, which is crucial for both environmental and health considerations as excessive runoff can lead to water quality problems and health issues when consumed. Homemade maple syrup inspired this research. The hypothesis is nitrate and phosphate levels will be greater in maple tree syrup closer to potential farm field runoff. Forty mL of distilled water for every 5 mL of syrup were mixed for testing. Each mixture was tested for Nitrates and Phosphates using the CHEMets testing tools. The levels of nitrates and phosphates were measured with the CHEMets reaction tube example. The data did not support the hypothesis. Nitrates were not found in 2023 maple syrup samples regardless of proximity to farm field run off, phosphates all tested less than 1 PPM except homemade which tested at 4 PPM. The main cause and change were believed to be synthetic cone-shaped filters or filter presses used by professional maple syrup producers resulting in little to no sugar sand, while homemade maple syrup is not filtered, resulting in sugar sand residues. To further test this supposition, 2024 sap samples (preboiling or filtering) indicated zero phosphates, but 6 PPM for both sites tested. This additional test validates filtering as the removal mechanism of phosphates. As mentioned above, excessive consumption of nitrates and phosphates can contribute to health issues. This study indicates the importance of maple syrup filtering, whether produced commercially or by hobbyists.