Dartmouth researcher sampling maple sap in sites contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’

HANOVER, N.H. (WCAX) - A new study is exploring how much, if at all, maple trees absorb so-called “forever chemicals,” and how much can end up in maple syrup.

Emily Sigman, a first-year PhD student at Dartmouth College, says she cultivated her love of maple-tapping trees in her backyard in New Haven, Connecticut.

“I have been really passionate about urban agriculture and urban foraging for a really long time,” Sigman said. But after testing her syrup, she found lead in samples. That gave her an idea. “The question that we are asking is if a maple tree is growing in very contaminated soil, would you also see contamination in the sap?”

Sigman is now looking for PFAS, the so-called “forever chemical” found in a variety of consumer products that do not break down quickly in the environment. With a team of researchers, she is testing 10 known sites across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. 8 are known contaminated sites, 2 are control sites.

“Definitely want to clarify that we are only testing trees in sites that are contaminated,” Sigman said.

Vermont prides itself on its pure maple brand. “We have a food safety third-party certification program that is unlike anything that any other state association has. We take it really seriously,” said Allison Hope with the Vt. Maple Sugar Makers’ Association. She says the industry is constantly working to make the syrup even better. “Continuing to trade on the consumer expectations of high-quality, food-safe, amazing maple syrup which is absolutely what our sugar makers do day in and day out.”

Sigman says her research ultimately aims to get more people in urban areas interested in the sweet natural product. “Maple sugaring in general feels like something really special to me,” she said.