NCJ Number
16433
Journal
Clinical Chemistry Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: (1974) Pages: 126-140
Date Published
1974
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW OF 'CHEMICAL TESTING' FOR ALCOHOL IN THE UNITED STATES IN CONNECTION WITH TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Abstract
RECENT PROCEDURAL AND INSTRUMENTAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE REVIEWED. VARIOUS FACTORS INVOLVED IN DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE RESULTS OF ANALYSES OF NEAR-SIMULTANEOUS VENOUS BLOOD AND BREATH SPECIMENS FROM THE SAME SUBJECT ARE EXAMINED. BECAUSE THE CAUSES OF THESE DISCREPANCIES CANNOT ADEQUATELY BE CONTROLLED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICE, THE AUTHORS SUGGEST THAT CALCULATION OF A BLOOD-ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION BASED ON THE RESULT OF A BREATH ANALYSIS BE ABANDONED. THEY RECOMMEND THAT WHEN BREATH ANALYSIS IS PERFORMED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES, THE INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULT SHOULD BE STATUTORILY BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL FOUND PER UNIT VOLUME OF ALVEOLAR (DEEP-LUNG) AIR. SERUM OR PLASMA OF CAPILLARY BLOOD IS RECOMMENDED AS THE SAMPLE WHEN BLOOD IS TO BE ANALYZED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)