Utilization of various phosphonates as source for phosphorus by the glyphosate degrading strain Pseudomonas spec. GS was investigated. Metabolites of phosphonate degradation were characterized indicating the cleavage of the C-P-bound as primary step of breakdown. The phosphonate N-(phosphonomethyl)-4'-nitroazobenzene-4-amine (azophon) was characterized as a suitable substrate for detection of C-P-bond splitting activity in vivo. Pseudomonas cells permeabilized by toluene treatment were also capable of phosphonate degradation whereas no in vitro activity of a putative C-P-bond cleaving enzyme was detectable after cell disruption.