Breathalyzer Alcohol Testing

It is well proven that there is a direct correlation between a person's blood alcohol concentration and his breath alcohol concentration. During respiration, gas is exchanged from the lungs to the blood (primarily oxygen) during inhalation, and vice versa (primarily C02) during exhalation.

During this exchange, alcohol in the blood vaporizes and is carried out of the lungs in the exhaled breath. There are several types of breath alcohol testers available today. These range from disposable screening testers to the equipment that provides legally admissible results, including very expensive digital read-out breath alcohol monitors.

These types of testers fall into three categories: Evidential Breath Testing Devices (provides forensic quality results) Portable Hand Held Devices (provides non-forensic results) Disposable Devices (provides non-forensic results) The evidential breath testing devices are generally expensive (costs range from $2000-$5000 per unit), require regular maintenance, repair and calibration, and must be operated by certified personnel.

Attachments such as sterile mouth pieces must be used each time a test is performed. These units are large table top units designed to be used in one location. Movement can cause a change in calibration which will require maintenance. The portable hand held devices provide non-forensic results and are used for screening for alcohol.

Portables are less accurate than evidential devices and require a recovery period between tests, limiting the number of tests that can be performed per hour. Hand held models break easily and require regular repair. The disposable devices are practical, non-invasive, cost effective methods of screening for alcohol.

The cost per test for preliminary screening using these types of devices is generally considerably less than the cost of testing using mechanical types of testers. In the past, manufacturers of these testers have been unable to produce a tester that was accurate, was capable of providing consistent results had an adequate shelf life, or was simple enough for an untrained person to use.

The disposable type breathalyzer detector, a disposable breath-alcohol indicator designed for one time use, provides an accurate measure of the alcohol present in the exhaled breath of the test subject. By measuring the alcohol content in the breath, a reliable indication of the blood alcohol level is achieved. The disposable type breathalyzer detector employs a new, patented technology for simple, on-the-spot screening for the presence of blood alcohol of the test subject.

The disposable type breathalyzer tester can be used once and then disposed of, minimizing contamination associated with repeated use of non-disposable units (no AIDS cross transmission). Low cost and ease of use make the disposable type breathalyzer tester ideal for screening to determine whether an individual should submit to a forensic quality blood test for confirmation.

Here is the principle upon which the disposable type breathalyzer detector works: the ethyl alcohol in the blood escapes through the lung tissue into the exhaled breath. The presence of ethyl alcohol in the breath is detectable by a color change of very sensitive chemically coated crystals contained in the disposable type breathalyzer tester.

The disposable type breathalyzer alcohol detector keeps the chemically coated crystals fresh in a hermetically sealed ampoule until the test is to be administered. Immediately prior to use, the ampoule is ruptured by slight finger pressure on the outer flexible clear tube to release crystals within the confines of the tube. When the subject exhales into the tube, the fresh crystals interact with breath vapor and change color from yellow to blue, if alcohol is present. If all the crystals change color completely, this indicates that the subject's blood alcohol level is at or over the level being tested for.

The accuracy of this chemical reaction has been scientifically documented, and is the type of reaction which is utilized in legally substantiated test devices used by law enforcement agencies. The disposable type breathalyzer device detects the presence of alcohol as low as .02%, and distinguishes low levels of alcohol from levels in excess of .10% (legal intoxication in many states).

The crystals in the disposable type breathalyzer alcohol detector are unaffected by heat and cold and the shelf life is unlimited. Each tester is good until the glass ampoule inside the tester is broken. Product Validation Numerous independent laboratory tests have established the reliability of the disposable type breathalyzer tester. Without exception, they have found the disposable type breathalyzer tester to have a high degree of accuracy and reliability.

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