Journal Published Online: 01 March 1987
Volume 32, Issue 2

Effect of Hypothermia on Breath-Alcohol Analysis

CODEN: JFSCAS

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.

Author Information

Fox, GR
University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., Canada
Hayward, JS
University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., Canada
Pages: 6
Price: $25.00
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Stock #: JFS11135J
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11135J