NCJ Number
199185
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 35 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 229-235
Editor(s)
B. Yamashita
Date Published
December 2002
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study examined the analysis of saliva in determining ethanol/alcohol concentration and as a potential alternative or supplement to blood testing in assessing a driver’s sobriety.
Abstract
A promising and versatile alternative methodology for estimating blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the analysis of saliva alcohol concentration (SAC). This method has significant appeal relative to the analysis of other human fluid samples. This study attempted to show that saliva analysis for ethanol content could be a good alternative to blood testing and should be treated as an independent method of assessment of a driver’s sobriety. Seventy-four experiments were conducted consisting of a group of 26 men and 12 women. The group consumed 0.7g (men) or 0.6g (women) of ethanol per kilogram of body weight, as neat 40 percent v/v vodka, within 15 minutes, 2-hours after their last meal. The experiments were performed with multiple collections of blood and saliva. The results of linear regression showed strong correlation between ethanol concentrations and blood and saliva. The results indicate that saliva analysis for alcohol could be helpful in the assessment of a driver’s sobriety when taken into account that a saliva sample can be collected on the roadside by a police officer.