Chlorophenol levels in aquatic leeches from selected sites in southwestern New Brunswick / J.L. Metcalfe ... [et al.].: En13-5/85-61E-PDF

"When we observed that leeches in Canagagigue Creek were accumulating chlorophenols to concentrations orders of magnitude higher that aquatic organisms, we proposed that these organisms be investigated as potential biointegrators of aquatic contaminants. In order to determine whether this behaviour was general, leeches in two river systens in southwestern New Brunswick were collected and analysed for chlorophenols and other organic contaminants. Site selection was based on proximity to a known source of organic pollution or to a NAQUADAT station. The five sites sampled include three sites on the St. John and one site each on the Oromocto and St. Croix Rivers. Seven species of leech were found with the dominant species being E. punctata, H. stagnalis and G. complanata. Leeches were found to be good indicators of chlorophenol contamination. Only three chlorophenols were detected in the water but a total of twelve were detected in leeches from the various sites. Concentrations in the leeches were from three to four orders of magnitude higher than the water concentrations. Results for neutral organo-chlorine contaminants were and were difficult to interpret. Further study of the accumulation of these contaminants in leeches is required"--Exec. summary.

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