|
Abstract
|
Alcohol impaired driving occurs when the concentration of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in the blood is greater than or equal to a predefined legal limit.
METHODS for alcohol examination include breath and fluid analysis. Forensically, evidential breath testers and instrumental methods are the preferred analytical techniques for quantitative determination of ethanol content in breath and fluid, respectively. Amongst the most notable prerequisites for quantitative measurements are linearity and range. Linearity describes ability of a given method to obtain test results proportional to the concentration of analyte within a defined range; whereas, range expresses inclusive limits by which to report conclusive numerical values. Importantly, linearity is illustrated by an emphasis on line therefore graphical illustration is an essential requirement of linear data analysis and quantitative measurement. This study provides critical evaluation of single point measurement-based quantitative analyses in forensic breath alcohol testing. Simulated data is used to assess the potential impact of improper linearity determination on final results and demonstrates through graphical examination that 35% of all possible data combinations do not satisfy existing tolerance conditions. Comparisons to blood alcohol testing methods are also presented.
Language: en |