Levels of Heavy Metal and Trace Element among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

The aim of this study was estimation the concentration of heavy and trace element in blood samples for autism spectrum disorder material and method: sixty patients with autism participated in the present study, all of these patients are registered in an autism center in Basrah province( Iraq). At the same time, 30 healthy children contributed in the study as a control group. The heavy levels were estimated and trace elements (chromium, zinc, selenium, copper, lead, mercury and iron) in the patient and control groups by used energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The basic principle should appear in the X-rays emitted by the different energies coming from the sample at the same time as a beam of an electron is moving its factors. Conclusion: The results showed that there was no significant difference between patients and the control group in all trace elements except zinc. On the other hand, the study showed that there was no significant change between male and female in all levels of trace elements except selenium.