Cu (II)-alginate beads were prepared by dropping 2% sodium alginate solution into 50 mM cupric sulfate solution. The hydrogel beads (3mm in diameter) turned blue after absorbing cupric ions from the surrounding solution, and the blue beads were proven to be useful in sensing the existence of the Cu (II)-chelating glyphosate in herbicide formulations. Glyphosate will compete with alginate in chelating cupric ion; within tens of minutes, a Cu (II)-alginate bead lost its cupric ions (and therefore its blue color) and finally collapsed in a solution containing mM order of glyphosate. The process were also monitored and quantified by the change in conductance.