Quantitative determination of glyphosate in human serum by 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Abstract The determination and quantification of glyphosate in serum using 1 H NMR spectroscopy is reported. This method permitted serum samples to be analysed without derivatization or any other sample pre-treatment, using 3-trimethylsilyl 2,2′,3,3′-tetradeuteropropionic acid (TSP- d 4 ) as a qualitative and quantitative standard. Characterization of the herbicide N -(phosphonomethyl)glycine was performed by analysing chemical shifts and coupling constant patterns. Quantification was performed by relative integration of CH 2 -P protons to the TSP- d 4 resonance peak. The method was tested for repeatability ( n  = 5) and yielded coefficients of variation of 1% and 3%, respectively: detection and quantification limits were also determined and were 0.03 and 0.1 mmol/L, respectively. The method was applied to the quantification of glyphosate in a case of acute poisoning.