Microbial turnover of glyphosate to biomass: utilization as nutrient source, formation of AMPA and biogenic NER in an OECD 308 test

Environmental fate assessment of chemicals involves standardized simulation tests with isotope-labeled molecules to balance transformation, mineralization, and formation of non-extractable residues (NER). Methods to predict microbial turnover and biogenic NER have been developed, having limited use when metabolites accumulate, the chemicals are not the only C source, or provides for other macro-elements.

To improve predictive capability, we extended a recently developed method for microbial growth yield estimation for incomplete degradation and multiple-element assimilation and combined it with a dynamic model for fate description in soils and sediments. We evaluated the results against the unique experimental data of 13C3-15N-co-labelled glyphosate turnover with AMPA formation in water-sediment systems (OECD 308).

Balancing 13C- and 15N- fluxes to biomass, showed a pronounced shift of glyphosate transformation from full mineralization to AMPA formation. This may be explained by various hypotheses, e.g. the limited substrate turnover inherent to the batch conditions of the test system causing microbial starvation or inhibition by P release.

Modeling results indicate initial N overload due to the lower C/N ratio in glyphosate compared to average cell composition leading to subsequent C demand and accumulation of AMPA.