Fatty, phenolic and hydroxy acids in aqueous leachates of three submerged macrophytes 〔Ceratophyllum demersum L., Vallisneria spiralis L., Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle〕 were analyzed using GC-MS in shallow freshwater. Succinic acid, oxalic acid, cis-aconitic acid, lactic acid and ferulic acid were main components. The content of cis-aconitic acid was more than 18% in H. verticillata but less than 2% in C. demersum and V. spiralis. The content of phenolic acid accounted for 8.85% in C. demersum but 1.23% and 0.63% in V. spiralis and H. verticillata.