AbstractThere is a need for simple, fast, efficient and sensitive methods of analysis for glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in diverse matrices such as water, plant materials and soil to facilitate environmental research needed to address the continuing concerns related to increasing glyphosate use. A variety of water‐based solutions have been used to extract the chemicals from different matrices. Many methods require extensive sample preparation, including derivatization and clean‐up, prior to analysis by a variety of detection techniques. This review summarizes methods used during the past 15 years for analysis of glyphosate and AMPA in water, plant materials and soil. The simplest methods use aqueous extraction of glyphosate and AMPA from plant materials and soil, no derivatization, solid‐phase extraction (SPE) columns for clean‐up, guard columns for separation and confirmation of the analytes by mass spectrometry and quantitation using isotope‐labeled internal standards. They have levels of detection (LODs) below the regulatory limits in North America. These methods are discussed in more detail in the review. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry