Baby Safety / Compounds / Glyphosate potassium salt

Is Glyphosate potassium salt safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

Infants face elevated risk from Glyphosate potassium salt through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

What is glyphosate potassium salt?

Glyphosate potassium salt is a herbicide, organophosphorus compound, salt.

The IUPAC name is potassium;2-(phosphonatomethylamino)acetate.

Also known as: potassium;2-(phosphonatomethylamino)acetate, Glyphosate K salt, Potassium glyphosate, K-glyphosate.

IUPAC name
potassium;2-(phosphonatomethylamino)acetate
CAS number
70901-12-1
Molecular formula
C3H7KNO5P
Molecular weight
207.17 g/mol
SMILES
COC1=CC2=C(C=C1)OC3=CC=C4C5=C(C=CC2=C35)C(=O)N(C4=O)N
PubChem CID
56841637

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Infants face elevated risk from Glyphosate potassium salt through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Glyphosate potassium salt.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EDC Assessment—Suspected endocrine disruptor

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter glyphosate potassium salt

  • Lawn And Garden Herbicide — Roundup Ready-To-Use (current formulations), Roundup Concentrate Plus
    Current preferred salt form in many Roundup branded products

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Glyphosate potassium salt:

  • Mechanical weeding; Cover cropping; Organic mulch; Flame weeding
    Trade-offs: Labor-intensive; effective for small-scale or precision applications; no chemical residues; not scalable to large commercial operations without significant cost increase.
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

Is glyphosate potassium salt safe for kids?

Infants face elevated risk from Glyphosate potassium salt through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

What products contain glyphosate potassium salt?

Glyphosate potassium salt appears in: Roundup Ready-To-Use (current formulations) (lawn and garden herbicide); Roundup Concentrate Plus (lawn and garden herbicide).

What should I do if my child is exposed to glyphosate potassium salt?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

See Glyphosate potassium salt in the baby app

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Sources (1)
  1. Glyphosate potassium salt - PubChem Compound Summary — pubchem

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →