Breath-Collection Device for Delayed Breath-Alcohol Analysis

The report includes the details of a study to develop, evaluate, and validate a breath collection device (BCD) for delayed breath-alcohol analysis. Primary applications of the BCD include collection of breath-alcohol samples for field surveys or for later laboratory analysis for independent verification of evidential breath-alcohol tests for traffic law enforcement purposes, and research uses. The work involved development of a BCD consisting of a molecular sieve 13X column as the alcohol sorbent for 250 ml. samples, development of a method of analysis for the stored alcohol, and both in-vitro and in-vivo evaluation of the delayed analysis system. Alcohol analysis was performed by automated gas chromatographic headspace analysis on the-aqueous alcohol eluate from the molecular sieve. Evaluations included studies with precision-simulator effluents which showed essentially complete recovery of the alcohol, and studies with 32 alcohol-consuming human subjects. Results of direct breath-alcohol analysis with a Gas Chromatographic Intoximeter and of delayed gas chromatographic analyses after intervening alcohol sorption on molecular sieve 13X, on 369 series-sampled split breath specimens, were essentially identical with a mean difference of 0.00032 g/210 L. Complete alcohol retention for at least 11 months was shown to be feasible. /Abstract from report summary page/