In the recent study, the bioaccumulation ability of phenolic substances was determined with field-collected specimens of three leech species, i.e., Erpobdella octoculata (Linnaeus), Theromyzon tessulatum (O. F. Műller) and Glossiphonia complanata (Linneaus). It was found that the examined leeches bioaccumulated phenol (0.03-27.10 mg/kg), 4-methylphenol (0.09-1.83 mg/kg), chlorophenols (0.03-14.90 mg/kg), guaiacol (0.22-2,941 mg/kg), tetrachloroguaiacol (0.06-1.98 mg/kg), 3-chlorosyringol (0.04-15.28 mg/kg) and chlorocatechols (0.33-23.24 mg/kg) present in the water (0.03-25.23 μg/L) and in the bottom sediments (0.75-760.5 μg/kg) of three ecosystems that were characterized by different contamination levels. Analysis of both the external mucous coat of the leeches and the tissue of the dermato-muscular sac showed that substantial quantities of the phenolic compounds may be accumulated in both the mucous (0.03-2,941 mg/kg) and the tissue (0.03-1,189.8 mg/kg).

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