ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 March 1987
Page Count: 6

Effect of Hypothermia on Breath-Alcohol Analysis
Fox, GR
Research associate and professor, University of Victoria, B.C.

Hayward, JS
Research associate and professor, University of Victoria, B.C.

(Received 21 January 1986; accepted 14 April 1986)

Abstract

Mild hypothermia, induced by experimental immersion of ten subjects in cold water, distorted the decay curve of breath ethanol of intoxicated subjects by as much as 22% while not altering overall ethanol clearance rate. The results provide in vivo verification of the in vitro temperature correction factor of 6.8% · °C⁻¹, and support previous recommendations that temperature monitoring be included in procedures for breath-ethanol testing. We recommend that mouth temperature be obtained before breath sampling to screen for abnormal body temperature and to allow for potential use of a temperature correction factor. This modification to existing analytical procedures would help to optimize the reliability of breath-ethanol analysis in predicting blood-ethanol concentration.

Keywords:
criminalistics, breath-alcohol testing devices, alcohol, hypothermia, ethanol, BAC, breath analysis, exposure, temperature, cold

Paper ID: JFS11135J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11135J
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