Ion chromatography for the analysis of glyphosate and its selected metabolites. A review

Among all known compounds with herbicide activity glyphosate, has been the most commercially successful one. Currently, it is under evaluation because of its possible cancerogenic properties. However, the question is—if it is possible to completely withdraw it from use. Before it can happen, it is important to be sure of all its benefits and limitations, and this requires further detailed research. Due to the extent and prevalence of its use, glyphosate ends up in the environment and then in food and our bodies. There are several methods used for their determination. One of them is ion chromatography. Taking into account its advantages and disadvantages, as well as its rapid development, their importance in this field can be expected to increase in the near future. This paper summarizes the literature data from the past 22 years. The applications of ion chromatography in the determination of glyphosate in various types of environmental, food, and other samples are described. Moreover, the methods used so far are compared with the possibilities offered by ion chromatography, which main advantages and benefits are easy availability, low operating costs, green chemistry aspects, and suitable validation parameters.