COMPARATIVE TESTS OF BLOOD-ALCOHOL AND BREATH-ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS BY MEANS OF GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC BREATH TESTING (INTOXICATION METER)

The authors report on a trial with a new breath analyser which operates in accordance with the principle of gas chromatography. 18 healthy subjects had blood-alcohol concentrations of between 0.7 and 2.0 per mille after an hour's drinking. Blood sampling and breath testing took place simultaneously. The concentrations of alcohol were followed for up to 190 minutes after the end of drinking. There is no correlation between blood-alcohol content and breath alcohol content. The results obtained raise considerable doubts of the routine application of breath-alcohol testing.