Ampa (aminomethyl-phosphonic acid) multiple origins in surface water : a new laboratory test

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide information about possible aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) origins. The AMPA found in surface waters is generally considered to be mainly a metabolite of herbicide glyphosate but recent studies indicated other origins in urban areas [1]. In the PIREN Seine programme, the fate of urban pesticides is studied in the Orge River basin, where AMPA is frequently detected in higher concentrations than glyphosate. However, in the literature, it is well documented that AMPA might be also a degradation product of other phosphonates, particularly ethylene-diamine-tetra-methylenephosphonic acid (EDTMPA) and diethylene-triamine-penta-methylene-phosphonic acid (DTMTPA), essentially used in domestic detergents