It has been shown that chemical degredation of glyphosate in soil and water is not a major pathway in the degredation of this compound. Leaching of glyphosate is practically negligible due its very strong adsorption by soil and volatization does not occur. This shows that the degredation of glyphosate must be brought about by microflora.

Glyphosate is representative of a broad class of compounds, known as phosphonic acids, which contain a C-P bond. This C-P bond can be cleaved enzymatically by many bacteria, even though it is chemically very stable, to liberate inorganic phosphate.

In most of the studies of the metabolism of glyphosate it was the sole source of phosphorous. The organisms which were studied, however, were not able to use it as a source of carbon or nitrogen. The pathway utilising the intermediate AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid)was found in organisms archived before the introduction of glyphosate. So, the assumption has been made that the ability to degrade glyphosate is naturally present in the environment. In samples from glyphosate enriched sources it was found that the pathway involving the sarcosine intermediate was dominant. This suggests that this pathway is selected in these environments, possibly because the pathway is more favourable to the organisms.