FORMATION OF GLYPHOSATE AND AMPA DURING OZONATION OF WATERS CONTAINING ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRA(METHYLENEPHOSPHONIC ACID)

Ozonation of the complexing agent ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosph onic acid) (EDTMP) was studied with bench-scale experiments. As it tur ned out that EDTMP is totally oxidized within a few seconds, a mechani sm for the reaction of EDTMP with ozone is presented which predicts th e formation of the herbicide N-phosphonomethylglycine (glyphosate) and its major metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). The experimen tal results confirm the predicted mechanism as well as the formation o f glyphosate and AMPA during ozonation of waters containing EDTMP.