THE TIME DURING WHICH ALCOHOL IS ABSORBED BY THE BREATH FROM THE TISSUES OF THE MOUTH AND THROAT
IF A BREATH TESTING DEVICE IS USED IMMEDIATELY AFTER DRINKING, THE ALCOHOL REMAINING IN THE MOUTH WILL CAUSE A POSITIVE READING TO BE OBTAINED WHICH BEARS NO RELATION TO THE TRUE BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF THE SUBJECT. IT IS KNOWN THAT THIS FALSE READING DISAPPEARS IN A FEW MINUTES AND SOME OBSERVATIONS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT TO SEE IF THE EFFECT CAN BE MODIFIED BY DRINKING WATER. SUBJECTS WHO WERE KNOWN TO HAVE NO ALCOHOL IN THEIR BLOOD RINSED THEIR MOUTHS WITH WHISKY AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THESE FALSE READINGS OCCUR FOR ALL DILUTIONS OF ALCOHOL USED AND THE EFFECT CANNOT BE ELIMINATED BY DRINKING CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF WATER /UP TO 600 ML/. VARIATIONS IN THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL IN THE MOUTH WERE FOUND BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS, THE EFFECT PERSISTING LONGER IN SOME CASES THAN IN OTHERS. THE CONCLUSION IS DRAWN THAT THE ONLY COMPLETELY EFFECTIVE METHOD OF AVOIDING THESE MOUTH ALCOHOL EFFECTS IS TO ENSURE THAT AT LEAST 20 MINUTES HAS ELAPSED SINCE THE SUBJECT LAST HAD ANY ALCOHOL IN HIS MOUTH. THIS IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CONCLUSIONS OF OTHER INVESTIGATORS. /RRL/A/
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Supplemental Notes:
- No Ln/905, 7FIG, 6TAB, 2REF
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Authors:
- Sims, M D
- Publication Date: 1965-8
Media Info
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Accuracy; Alcohols; Analysis; Blood; Blood alcohol levels; Breathing apparatus; Reading; Testing equipment; Time; Water
- Uncontrolled Terms: Mouth
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00222638
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Road Research Laboratory /UK
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Mar 22 1971 12:00AM