NCJ Number
104838
Journal
Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (April-June 1986) Pages: 13-46
Date Published
1986
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This review of developments in alcohol consumption analysis since 1975 focuses on blood-alcohol analysis, breath-alcohol analysis, saliva-alcohol analysis, and aspects of quality assurance in alcohol analysis.
Abstract
In the discussion of blood-alcohol analysis, blood sampling and sample retention are considered before descriptions of developments in analysis. Among the other topics examined in the review of blood-alcohol analysis are endogenous alcohol (alcohol produced by the body itself) and blood-alcohol analysis through enzymatic oxidation, gas chromatography, and the ALERT solid-state sensor. The discussion of breath-alcohol analysis focuses on regulatory and legal developments, breath-alcohol retention, the evaluation of quantitative evidential breath-alcohol analyzers, passive alcohol sensors, the distribution of alcohol in blood and breath, and scientific safeguards for breath-alcohol analysis. The discussion of saliva-alcohol analysis notes that it lends itself to screening tests, is readily accessible through noninvasive collection methods, parallels the plasma alcohol concentration, and can be easily measured with enzymatic oxidation methods. The review of aspects of quality assurance in alcohol analysis addresses calibrators and controls, proficiency testing, and performance evaluation. 132 references and 4 tables.