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Updated: Mar 18, 2026
07:42
Quantification of the Potential Impact of Glyphosate-Based Products on Microbiomes
Published on: January 10, 2022
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An Overlooked Chemical Conversion Pathway of Glyphosate: Ferrous-AMPA Complex-Mediated Oxygen Activation
Yiyi Shu1, Biao Zhou1, Haoqi Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Engineering Research Center of Photoenergy Utilization for Pollution Control and Carbon Reduction, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|March 17, 2026
Summary
Ferrous ions (Fe2+) transform glyphosate (PMG) and its metabolite AMPA into harmless substances. This process involves Fe2+ activating oxygen, breaking down the persistent herbicide and its toxic byproduct.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Glyphosate (PMG) is a widely used herbicide with environmental persistence concerns.
- Its metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), also poses ecological risks.
- The role of transition metals in PMG and AMPA degradation is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of ferrous ions (Fe2+) in the transformation and mineralization of PMG and AMPA.
- To elucidate the mechanism of Fe2+-mediated degradation of PMG and AMPA.
Main Methods:
- Studied the interaction between Fe2+, PMG, and AMPA in aqueous systems.
- Investigated the activation of molecular oxygen by Fe2+-chelated complexes.
- Analyzed the transformation products and mineralization pathways.
Main Results:
- Fe2+ mediates sequential transformation of PMG to AMPA via a dual-chelation mechanism.
- Fe2+ activates molecular oxygen, generating superoxide radicals (O2•−).
- AMPA forms a complex with Fe2+, enhancing oxygen activation and facilitating C-P bond cleavage for complete mineralization.
Conclusions:
- Fe2+ plays a critical role in the environmental degradation of glyphosate and AMPA.
- A continuous complexation-activated conversion pathway drives the mineralization of these persistent pollutants.
- Findings provide new insights into the environmental fate of glyphosate.
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