Chromium and manganese levels in biological samples of normal and night blindness children of age groups (3-7) and (8-12) years.

This study was designed to compare the levels of chromium (Cr) and manganese (Mn) in scalp hair, blood, and urine of night blindness in children age ranged (3-7) and (8-12) years of both genders, comparing them to sex- and age-matched controls. A microwave-assisted wet acid digestion procedure, was developed as a sample pretreatment, for the determination of Cr and Mn in biological samples of night blindness children. The proposed method was validated by using conventional wet digestion and certified reference samples of hair, blood and urine. The digests of all biological samples were analyzed for Cr and Mn by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicated significantly higher levels of Cr, whilst low level of Mn in the biological samples (blood and scalp hair) of male and female night blindness children, compared with control subjects of both genders. These data present guidance to clinicians and other professional investigating deficiency of Mn and excessive level of Cr in biological samples (scalp hair and blood) of night blindness children.