Simplified analysis of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in water, vegetation and soil by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

BACKGROUND: There is a need for a simple, fast, efficient and sensitive method for analysis of glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in diverse matrices such as water, vegetation and soil. RESULTS: Aqueous extracts from water, vegetation and soil were passed through reverse-phase and cation-exchange columns and directly injected into a tandem mass spectrometer using only a guard column for separation. Extraction efficiencies from the three matrices were >80% for both glyphosate and AMPA. The method reporting levels (MRLs) for glyphosate in water, vegetation and soil were 3.04 µg L(-1) , 0.05 mg kg(-1) and 0.37 mg kg(-1) respectively. AMPA MRLs were 5.06 µg L(-1) for water, 0.08 mg kg(-1) for vegetation and 0.61 mg kg(-1) for soil. CONCLUSIONS: A validated, simple and efficient liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for routine analysis of glyphosate and AMPA in water, vegetation and soil that uses minimal sample handling and clean-up will facilitate the additional environmental research needed to address the continuing concerns related to increasing glyphosate use.