Blood and urine alcohol testing: necessity, types, rules for passing the test

According to research by British scientists, alcohol, which is a part of every celebration, is considered one of the most dangerous substances for humans. In terms of its negative impact on humanity, it has surpassed even various narcotic substances. After all, if only a few try drugs, then alcoholic beverages are very popular. It is safe to say that half of the people on Earth periodically drink alcohol, and the lion's share of this half have been in traffic accidents and received injuries of varying severity, including death, because of alcohol. Against the backdrop of such threatening statistics, an alcohol test no longer seems such a pointless undertaking. And those who, while intoxicated, try their best to avoid such an examination, risk their own lives and the lives of others.

Why is alcohol so dangerous for humans?

Even without delving into the basics of human physiology and psychology, we can say that alcohol is dangerous because it causes addiction in most of the adult population of the planet. According to various statistics, from 75 to 87% of people over the age of 18 have consumed alcohol at least once in their lives. But most people liked this nectar of pleasure, and people turned to it more than once for various reasons.

But what is the reason for such sympathy? Everything is banal and simple, ethyl alcohol in alcoholic drinks is able to stimulate the brain centers that are responsible for the production of pleasure hormones (domamine, serotonin, endorphins). A person in a state of alcoholic intoxication feels relaxed and cheerful, all problems fade into the background. The feeling of relaxation and nirvana significantly dulls self-control, not to mention self-criticism.

After knocking back a glass or two, many of us feel a surge of strength and courage, which subjectively elevates us to the position of an invincible hero. It is not for nothing that people under the influence of alcohol become the instigators of showdowns and fights.

It turns out that alcohol is an easy and quick way to relax and boost your self-esteem (though only temporarily, because after sobering up and learning about your exploits, a person often changes his opinion of himself, not for the better). Why quick? Because alcohol is one of the few substances that begins to be absorbed into the blood already in the stomach, and does not wait until the intestines meet them. If you drink an alcoholic beverage on an empty stomach, intoxication occurs almost instantly, as soon as the liquid pours into the stomach.

Some readers will ask, what is so bad about the opportunity to relax and have fun? If we do not take into account the destructive effect of alcohol on the liver, kidneys, heart and other organs, in principle, nothing, if a person in a state of alcoholic intoxication does not harm himself or others (does not get into fights, does not act like a hero, does not drive, does not work at a machine tool, etc.).

The danger of alcohol is that, while it supposedly gives strength and courage, it at the same time disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses from brain neurons to muscle fibers, reducing the level of neurotransmitters. This leads to a disruption in the coordination of movement. It’s as if the brain thinks one thing, but the arms and legs disagree with it.

One of the functions of neurotransmitters is considered to be the processing of information from external stimuli, due to which we experience different emotions and behave differently in different situations. Everything is complicated by the fact that a decrease in the number of these biologically active chemical substances that are part of the nerve cell and are responsible for the transmission of electrochemical impulses between different cells of the nervous system leads to inhibition of thought processes. And an inhibited reaction in situations where caution and concentration are needed can lead to disastrous consequences (for example, death in an accident), disruptions in the production process, injuries, not to mention stress for other people.

It is not for nothing that drunk people are not allowed to do dangerous work, and in general, drinking on the eve of a working day is not welcomed. It is clear that you should never get behind the wheel in such a state. But this does not stop everyone.

It is important to know that about 10% of alcohol is excreted by the kidneys and lungs, the rest is excreted by the liver. Unfortunately, it is impossible to detect alcohol in urine or blood by eye. And the smell is not so simple. At first, it may not be detected, but later it can be removed with improvised means (nutmeg, parsley, coffee beans, chewing gum, drugs like "Antipolitsay"). All these means only mask the smell, but do not stop the effects of alcohol.

When masking traces of alcohol consumption, a person does not always realize what his actions are fraught with, what danger he poses to others and himself. Alcohol analysis is designed to prevent this danger.

It is clear that most people have an extremely negative attitude towards this type of analysis, because a positive alcohol test result for drivers is actually a confirmation of their guilt during an accident. But on the other hand, if a person had not gotten behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, believing that in such a state he would be able to handle the car no worse than others, the accident might not have happened. And it would be good if everything ended with bruises and scratches.

Alcohol and tests

In order to determine the presence of ethanol in the blood, it is not necessary to undergo any special tests. The fact is that even a small dose of alcohol can change its various characteristics. And the doctor will find this even in the results of a popular general blood test, not to mention a detailed biochemical one.

So, what will the blood test tell us, or rather, what will be its reaction to alcohol? The first to react to the introduction of ethanol into the blood will be erythrocytes - red blood cells, 95% of whose mass is hemoglobin. The main task of hemoglobin is considered to be the transportation of oxygen to organs and tissues and carbon dioxide back to the lungs.

Ethanol is a solvent for the cell membrane of red blood cells, which results in the loss of part of the hemoglobin, a decrease in the speed of movement of red blood cells and their elasticity. As a result, an active process of gluing red blood cells together can be observed. A blood test will show a decrease in the number of red blood cells and a decrease in the level of hemoglobin.

The clumps of red blood cells form blood clots, which slow down the flow of blood through the vessels and increase its viscosity. The most interesting thing is that within half an hour after drinking alcohol, ethanol in small quantities helps thin the blood, but then the situation changes to the opposite. Since no one drinks alcohol immediately before taking tests, the results of laboratory tests show increased blood clotting.

Taken together, the three symptoms listed above correspond to the clinical picture of intoxication of the body.

A biochemical blood test will show even more interesting things. Under the influence of alcohol, the blood sugar level drops sharply, but the concentration of lactic acid and neutral fats triglycerides increases significantly. An increase in the total concentration of cholesterol and the protein GGTP (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase), produced in the liver, is also noted.

By the way, depending on the dose of alcohol consumed, the blood glucose level may change. If the dose was small, alcohol itself is converted into glucose under the influence of liver enzymes, it is clear that the analysis will show an increase in its level. But large doses of alcohol reduce liver activity, glucose production decreases, which will be noted in the blood test results.

The load on the kidneys and liver when drinking alcohol is so great that they begin to fail, as a result of which uric acid is found in the blood in excess of the norm.

An identical picture will be observed when taking urine tests after abundant washing of the body with alcohol during feasts and meetings with friends. In the results of the analysis of laboratory material, it will be possible to see elevated levels of uric and lactic acid, triglycerides, and sugar.

In principle, such indicators cannot be found in any disease known to doctors. The analysis indicates a high concentration of urine components. And this indicates that the body has been severely intoxicated. When the kidneys remove toxins, most of the water will be lost, so the urine will become concentrated.

By the way, a general urine test is considered more informative and accurate in terms of detecting alcohol than a blood test. After all, the presence of alcohol in urine cannot be attributed to any disease. With a blood test, everything is a little more complicated. For example, the presence of high concentrations of lactic acid (lactate) in the blood may indicate acute left ventricular failure or significant blood loss.

Fluctuations in glucose levels are usually associated with the consumption of sugary foods or diabetes, and increased uric acid levels are associated with gout or chronic joint inflammation (arthritis).

An increase in the GGT level can generally put the doctor in a difficult situation when making a diagnosis, because this symptom is characteristic of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, viral hepatitis, cerebral vascular thrombosis, hypothyroidism, severe liver and kidney dysfunction.

Based only on blood biochemistry or a complete blood count, a doctor cannot confidently judge the fact of alcohol consumption. After all, it is impossible to exclude the possibility that a person did not drink alcoholic beverages, and changes in the qualitative and quantitative indicators of the blood are associated with the unsatisfactory state of his health against the background of a whole bunch of diseases.

The fact that alcohol radically changes the characteristics of the blood, which in turn can indicate various disorders in the body, is the reason why one of the important requirements for preparing for the tests is to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours before the test. This applies not only to strong alcoholic beverages, but also to low-alcohol liquids, including beer, medicinal tinctures on alcohol, and candies with fillings containing alcohol in various combinations.

When taking a special alcohol test, which not only determines the presence of alcohol in the body, but also the degree of intoxication, no special preparation is required due to the fact that such a study is urgent. For example, a laboratory blood test may give incorrect data 3-4 hours after drinking alcohol. Such an analysis will no longer have evidentiary value.

As for urine alcohol analysis, which, due to its cheapness and accuracy, is prescribed after an accident or specifically to document the fact of intoxication in controversial situations, the picture will be slightly different here. Alcohol enters the urine one to two hours after drinking alcoholic beverages, and is completely eliminated no earlier than a day later. These indicators vary slightly depending on the age, gender and health of the person.

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Indications for the procedure alcohol testing

Alcohol testing is not as rare a procedure as it seems at first glance. After all, drivers are not the only category of the population that has to deal with the need to check their blood for alcohol content. For someone, this examination can ruin their life, and save another person from death. Therefore, the result of an alcohol test is one of the most anticipated events.

As for drivers, they will have to take such a test in 2 cases:

• if the car was involved in a traffic accident, since a blood alcohol test in the event of a traffic accident is a mandatory procedure as part of the investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy.
• if, as a result of a routine roadside check, traffic police officers have doubts about the condition of the driver of the vehicle they stopped.

In both cases, the driver's fate will depend on the alcohol test results. Moreover, when it comes to an accident with serious consequences, a fine and license revocation alone will not do. And if the examination proves that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident, it is quite possible that he will have to temporarily change his place of residence to a state-run home.

As for the scheduled inspection, everything is not so bad here: either temporarily remove from driving the car with the need to return the license, or the driver will solve the problem amicably with the help of "greenbacks". Without money, such issues are not resolved in any way.

By the way, in such situations, there are often incidents. The driver is absolutely sober, but the police officer claims the opposite and issues a fine. How can the driver prove that he did not drink the day before the trip? Of course, with the help of the same alcohol test taken at a medical institution. The form with the test results is considered a serious document that no court can challenge.

Blood ethanol testing may also be necessary for those who were hospitalized from the scene of an accident (and other places) with serious injuries, often requiring surgical intervention. However, if the patient is, roughly speaking, drunk, the doctors' options will be severely limited due to the certain probability of negative drug interactions between ethyl alcohol in alcoholic beverages and pharmaceuticals. If the operation is to be performed under anesthesia, the anesthesiologist must have information about the degree of alcohol intoxication.

Alcohol analysis in hospitals is also prescribed to patients with strange, inadequate behavior in order to clarify the cause of such a state. People who have drunk a fair amount behave no less strangely than those who are under the influence of drugs or suffer from mental disorders. In drug treatment centers, alcohol analysis is prescribed to patients who have undergone treatment for alcoholism. Patients try to hide the fact of returning to their previous life, but a blood test will still confirm the presence of alcohol in it.

In some cases, an alcohol test may be prescribed to a minor, especially if he or she was caught committing hooliganism, vandalism, violence, etc.

Ethanol testing is a routine procedure in some companies, if the work is dangerous and requires concentration. The results of this test help resolve the situation in cases of industrial injuries and answer the question of whether the company should pay money to a person who violated safety and work discipline requirements.

As we can see, alcohol analysis is quite popular, because it often makes the decisive difference in the outcome of a controversial situation. And in some cases, it is simply necessary to prove your case.

We have considered the question of the advisability of conducting such an important study; it remains to figure out where you can take an alcohol test if the need arises?

It should be said right away that even in small towns and regional centers there is at least one hospital whose laboratory you can contact to take the above-mentioned test with a detailed decoding of the results. Regarding such a study, you can contact private laboratories, medical centers, a mental health or drug treatment center, or forensic medical examination departments. If necessary, the test is done directly in the hospital where the patient was taken by ambulance, or at work by a full-time nurse. Police officers use breathalyzers to identify drunk drivers, which allow them to identify the traffic violator with a sufficient degree of accuracy.

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Technique alcohol testing

A blood alcohol test is a laboratory test that not only confirms the presence of ethyl alcohol in the body, but also establishes the degree of intoxication, which is an important factor in court cases. After all, the concentration of ethanol in the blood determines how adequately a person assessed the situation during an incident, because everyone knows that half a glass of vodka makes a person more cheerful, and half a glass - bolder and in some ways stupider, since there is an overestimation of one's strength.

To determine the alcohol content in the blood, the concentration of ethanol is usually expressed in ppm. 1 ppm is 0.1%, i.e. if the test result shows, for example, the number 2 (more precisely 2.0), this means that 2 ml of ethanol are found in 1 liter (1000 ml) of the patient's blood.

Blood alcohol testing can be done using one of 3 methods:

• Widmark's method. Developed by Swedish forensic scientist Eric Widmark at the beginning of the 20th century. The method is based on distillation and subsequent oxidation of ethanol in a special flask using potassium dichromate. The amount of potassium dichromate restored indicates the concentration of alcohol.

Widmark also developed a special formula for determining the alcohol content in the blood: c=A/m*r, where c is the concentration of ethanol in percent, A is the amount of alcohol consumed in grams, m is, as usual, the person’s body weight in kilograms, r is the Widmark coefficient, which depends on gender (women – 0.6, men – 0.7).

The Widmark method and formula have recently been used less and less in forensic medicine, since it does not give entirely accurate results. The reason is that it does not take into account the part of alcohol that, for a number of reasons, has not yet reached the peripheral blood, which is used for analysis.

Widmark's method finds application in laboratory studies of the blood of dead people who died as a result of an accident or injury.

• Enzyme method. This method is quite accurate, so it is quite popular in laboratories. It is based on the increase in the activity of some enzymes (alcohol dehydrogenases) produced by the liver under the influence of alcohol. These are special enzymes designed to break down alcohol, and they appear in the blood only when necessary. The blood of a sober person does not contain alcohol dehydrogenases.

The blood taken for analysis is separated into fractions using electrophoresis, and then the blood serum in a special glass container is placed in an analyzer, which in a short time produces the concentration of specific liver enzymes.

Unlike the Widmark method, the enzyme analysis allows one to determine how long ago a person consumed alcoholic beverages and in what quantities. For this reason, it is very popular in drug treatment clinics and is used to monitor patients undergoing treatment for alcoholism.

• A type of enzyme study is the CDT alcohol test. This is an innovative and very expensive method used to detect chronic alcoholism. It is carried out similarly to the method described above. In alcoholism, a specific indirect marker is detected in the blood serum - carbohydrate deficient transferrin, also known as CDT.

This method is not intended for diagnosing irregular alcohol consumption and is not used in cases of severe liver damage, as well as during menstruation or pregnancy in women, since in these cases it gives an incorrect result. It is used mainly in drug treatment centers. However, it is sometimes used in forensic medicine when considering cases of road accidents.

• Gas chromatography method. This is the most expensive, but at the same time the most accurate blood test for alcohol. It should be said that the device for conducting the analysis and the reagents attached to it are expensive.

A blood sample is placed in a glass container and sent to an evaporator using a special device. The liquid part (blood) evaporates, and then the air remaining in the flask, containing alcohol vapor, is analyzed using a chromatograph.

We have figured out the methods for conducting a blood test for alcohol, but the question remains: how to properly collect blood for analysis.

So, only venous blood taken with a syringe is suitable for alcohol analysis. Usually 2-4 ml of blood is enough for the research. The puncture site on the skin must not be disinfected with solutions containing alcohol. Medical personnel must use sterile latex gloves and prepared test tubes during manipulations.

Serum for enzyme analysis can be stored for no more than 10 days at a temperature not exceeding 8 degrees.

How is a urine alcohol test performed?

Urine analysis for ethanol content is not specific. It is a general and biochemical analysis of physiological fluid excreted through the urinary system. Urine must be collected in a sterile container and submitted to the laboratory no later than 12-24 hours after the incident. In order to avoid the possibility of falsifying the results, sometimes it is required to collect the material for research directly in the laboratory. If a person is sober, alcohol is not detected in the urine.

Unfortunately, sometimes it is not enough to find out whether a person consumed alcohol before an accident or other incident. In such cases, they resort to a special laboratory test called the alcohol analysis. This is a chemical-toxicological blood test, which is prescribed to detect drug or alcohol intoxication. It can also be used to determine the type of poison that caused severe intoxication, for example, if the patient is unable to explain what drugs or alcoholic beverages he consumed.

The advantages of this method compared to blood tests for alcohol are:

• accuracy of determination of alcohol and drug concentration in urine,
• availability of biomaterial and ease of obtaining it,
• the analysis can be carried out in any medical laboratory,
• There is no need to take tests several times to confirm the presence of alcohol in the blood; the amount of biomaterial taken at one time is sufficient to conduct repeated and expanded tests, if necessary.

Chemical-toxicological analysis of urine for alcohol includes:

1. gas-liquid chromatography,
2. enzyme immunoassay (special test strips for alcohol and drugs are used, which turn burgundy if there are drugs in the urine),
3. mass spectrometry (the presence of 2 continuous stripes indicates that there are no narcotic substances in the human body, which include ethanol).

The first two tests allow us to determine the presence of alcohol in the urine with great accuracy, while the last one specifies the concentration of ethanol and the degree of intoxication.

The collection of biological material should be carried out in such a way as to exclude its substitution. For alcohol testing, 50 ml of urine is sufficient (this is the necessary minimum), which must be collected in a sterile container with a wide neck and a tightly closing lid.

Urine must be delivered to the laboratory within 2 days, later requests will be less informative. The study itself is conducted within 4 days.

Alcohol test in saliva and exhaled air

So far we have talked about laboratory methods for detecting ethanol in biological fluids. These are more or less accurate methods of alcohol analysis, the documented results of which are recognized in court. But these methods do not immediately answer the question: is a person sober or intoxicated. They require a certain amount of time, sometimes even up to 4 days.

But, having stopped a driver on the road, the patrol cannot baselessly accuse him of drunk driving, just as they should not send a person for laboratory tests without evidence. Another matter if an express alcohol test was carried out, which gave a positive result.

To prevent the consequences of drunk driving, the road patrol most often uses devices that detect ethanol vapors in exhaled air. There are quite a few methods for detecting ethanol that has entered the body through the stomach, as is usually the case when drinking alcoholic beverages, and subsequently found throughout the body, including the respiratory system. But the most common is the alcohol test in the form of a tube, also known as the electronic method (the well-known tube with a tip connected to a measuring device). A little less popular is the "air balloon" method.

In the latter case, the person is asked to take a deep breath and completely release the air from the lungs into the balloon, after which the exhaled air is released into a glass test tube with yellow crystals, combined into groups. If the person drank alcohol shortly before getting behind the wheel, individual groups of crystals begin to change color to green one by one. A change in 1 or 2 groups of crystalline substance inside the test tube is permissible, if the color of 3 groups has changed, we are talking about mild intoxication with impaired coordination of movement and attention.

The breath test should be taken no earlier than a quarter of an hour after drinking alcohol. Nicotine can also affect the reliability of the results, but by waiting just a minute after smoking, the test can be performed without worrying about the accuracy of the results.

If ethanol can be detected in blood, urine, exhaled air for some time after drinking alcoholic beverages, then it can be detected in saliva even more so. Moreover, alcohol is consumed through the mouth, where saliva is produced. But it is precisely this factor that does not allow us to determine the quantitative indicators of ethanol content in the body with great accuracy.

The thing is that some part of ethanol always settles on the oral mucosa, where it can remain for up to 2 hours. In addition, ethanol can react with saliva to form acidic products, which can again affect the accuracy of the result, giving inflated values. And even rinsing the mouth with water does not give the desired effect. Another thing is if you add a little acetic acid to the water.

It is advisable to conduct a saliva alcohol test in order to identify the fact of alcohol consumption the day before the event, which is usually quite sufficient. It is better to check the quantitative indicators of alcohol content in other ways.

Alcohol analysis by saliva can be carried out both in laboratory conditions and mobile. Laboratory research of saliva is complicated by difficulties in preserving it in its original form, because it is not always possible to do the analysis at the time of its delivery. But the use of mobile versions of the test does not cause difficulties.

Today, there are various options for alcohol testing using saliva: "Alco-screen", "Alcosensor", "Alcotest-FactorM" and others. Let's consider the features of using express analysis based on the "Alco-screen" alcohol test.

The method of almost instantaneous determination of alcohol content in the body by saliva is based on a specific oxidation reaction involving the enzyme alcohol oxidase, as a result of which alcohol is decomposed into aldehyde and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide, under the influence of the thyroid enzyme peroxidase, is once again decomposed into components that cause oxidation and color change of the chromogen. The intensity and color of the coloring using a color scale can be used to judge the concentration of alcohol in saliva.

Express alcohol analysis is produced in the form of a test strip for single use. Some breathalyzer versions may contain not one strip, but several. For example, the Alcosensor package may have a container with 25 strips, which must be quickly and tightly closed each time you take out a test strip.

Using one-time alcohol tests in saliva, you can determine the alcohol content from 0.0 to 2.0 ppm. The color scale of the test has 5 color zones, which are used to judge the degree of intoxication.

The sensor element of the express test is very sensitive to touch, so you should avoid contact with the skin. It determines the presence of methanol, ethanol and propanol in the body. It is not sensitive to acetone and other types of alcohol, which allows for a more accurate analysis in patients with diabetes, who have increased acetone production.

Breathalyzers are easy to use and provide quick results. The strip is removed from the package and dipped into a saliva sample placed in a clean, preferably glass container (e.g., a test tube). If the saliva sample is placed on a flat surface, the strip is turned with the sensor element down and applied to the biomaterial. The contact of the test sensor and saliva should be carried out for 5-10 seconds, after which the strip is shaken or blotted with a paper napkin, and then placed on a clean surface for development with the sensor facing up. It is necessary to ensure that sunlight does not fall on the sensor during the analysis.

Before the test, if alcohol was consumed within 2 hours before the analysis, rinse your mouth with water and add a few drops of vinegar. A positive test result is indicated if the indicator strip has changed color. If there is no alcohol in the body, the strip color remains unchanged. If only the outer borders of the sensor element are colored, the analysis is repeated with a new strip, but this time carefully ensure that the sensor is completely moistened with saliva.

The analysis is carried out at room temperature. The tester removed from the package can be stored for no more than 20 minutes.

Saliva alcohol testing can be used by drug treatment services, emergency services, hospital admissions departments, transport companies and simply interested individuals.

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Alcohol test at home

Today, on pharmacy shelves, as well as in some stores, you can find a wide variety of breathalyzers and test strips that anyone can buy. You won't need a doctor's report or a prescription for this. The seller won't even ask about the purpose of this purchase, because express methods for determining alcohol in biological environments have received quite wide application, and not only in the police or in production.

The availability of the method and the lack of need to go to a laboratory attracts many caring parents who have teenage children. After all, a teenager is, in essence, still a child who is in a hurry to learn all the delights of adult life, including alcohol. And under the influence of ethanol, boys and girls sometimes commit such acts that they will regret for the rest of their lives.

Teenagers filled with negativity and protest are very reluctant to go to the laboratory for tests, while trying to falsify the results by any means possible if alcohol or drugs were used. Express tests sometimes become the only way for parents to find out the truth and take the necessary measures. After all, pharmacy tests for alcohol can be successfully used at home, especially if the degree of intoxication does not matter.

By the way, such measurements will also be useful for owners of personal cars who indulged themselves in alcoholic drinks the day before. Alcohol does not stay in the body forever, its concentration gradually decreases. It is impossible to determine with precision at what point it will be within the permissible norm even according to special tables that are available on the Internet. But strips and breathalyzers, which are also used by traffic police officers, will tell you very accurately whether it is worth the risk or better to wait a little longer before getting behind the wheel.

It is clear that you cannot count on the accuracy of the test strips we wrote about above, but if there is alcohol in the body, they will definitely detect it. However, for greater reliability, they should be used no earlier than 15 minutes after drinking alcohol. It should be taken into account that a positive alcohol test result can also occur if a person took medications and herbal tinctures containing ethyl alcohol the day before, and even if he simply rinsed his tooth with vodka and spat it out (there is such a not very popular method of treating toothache).

By the way, not only saliva, but also urine collected in a sterile, preferably glass container can be used as the biological material to be tested for test strips.

Another version of primitive breathalyzers are special disposable tubes with an indicator substance, which are accompanied by a breathing cylinder, a mouthpiece and devices for opening the tube, which is initially sealed at both ends. Through a mouthpiece placed on the tube, a person inflates the cylinder to the limit and watches the change in the color of the indicator crystals (a more modern version of the test with a balloon). If the crystals turn green, it means that alcohol is present in the body. Based on the intensity of the color, one can draw certain conclusions about the degree of intoxication.

Alcohol analysis at home can also be carried out using electronic breathalyzers, which determine the presence of alcohol in exhaled air. We are talking about reusable devices that can be used both stationary and mobile.

Electronic breathalyzers are devices equipped with a small tube and a sensor. Portable devices are most often equipped with a semiconductor indicator, which must be periodically adjusted in accordance with environmental conditions. An individual breathalyzer is designed for 2-3 measurements per day and has a significant error.

On an individual basis, you can also use special indicators with three-colored lights, like on a traffic light. You don't have to demand precise numbers from them, but even such a primitive analysis will be enough to determine whether it's worth getting behind the wheel.

There are also professional devices (number of measurements from 150 to 200 and even 300). Usually these devices are equipped with an electrochemical sensor, which provides minimal error. The cost of the devices is quite high, so they are used mainly in the work of the traffic police.

Infrared sensors with high accuracy are installed on devices used in laboratory conditions. The reliability of the result of such devices depends on the air temperature, and they also require much more time to process the information.

Stationary breathalyzers can also be found in club-type establishments.

Rules for passing the alcohol test

This point will be especially interesting for those who are by fate connected with cars – drivers. After all, the results of an alcohol test can sometimes determine whether a person will be able to continue driving a car or will be deprived of his license for a period of 1 to 2 years, whether he will have to pay a fine or there will be no reason for this.

It often happens that a person has not even been drinking, but the police officer's breathalyzer says otherwise. To prove your case, you need to know the rules and procedure for taking the alcohol test.

Yes, you can confidently and decisively prove right there on the spot that you haven't been drinking, and if that's really the case and the patrolman just wanted to make some extra money, the issue will most likely be settled. No additional expertise will be required. But even in this case, it wouldn't hurt to know your rights.

The point is that there must be good reasons for conducting an alcohol test. A patrol officer cannot, on a whim, force a driver to blow into a tube or take a lab test.

The following are considered grounds for conducting an alcohol test:

• the smell of alcohol from the mouth,
• incoherent, drawn-out speech,
• inappropriate behavior: inappropriate actions, excessive familiarity, rudeness, impudence, etc.,
• unstable posture, visible loss of coordination,
• a complexion indicating increased blood flow due to alcohol,
• the fact of drinking alcohol while driving, even if it is known from the words of another person,
• An accident involving the detainee's car.

If there are no compelling reasons for conducting an alcohol test, and the tests confirm this, the driver has the right to go to court regarding the inappropriate behavior of the traffic police officer himself.

In the event of an accident, an alcohol test is considered mandatory. It can be carried out both at the scene of the accident and in laboratory conditions. If the driver is injured, he can insist on being examined at a hospital, where an alcohol test will be carried out according to all existing rules.

Blood alcohol testing may be performed by either a traffic patrol officer with a special device or a medical worker in a hospital setting. In villages and district centers, this is usually done by a district police officer. If the examination is performed after an accident, the protocol must be signed by two witnesses present during the test. The presence of two witnesses is a mandatory requirement for performing an alcohol test even if the reason for stopping the car was not an accident.

On-site examination must be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by law:

1. The patrol officer must introduce himself and inform the driver of the reason for the vehicle's detention. If an offence has been committed, the driver must be notified of it and offered to undergo an alcohol test. If the person refuses the test, he is considered guilty of drunk driving.
2. In the presence of 2 witnesses, a report is drawn up, which must indicate the reasons for detention and possible symptoms of alcohol intoxication. The witnesses confirm the truth of what is written with their signatures.
3. Next comes the mobile alcohol test. However, before this, the traffic police officer must explain to the driver the features and rules of the test, as well as present the necessary documents for the device, confirming its registration and verification. Then a new mouthpiece is put on the device, and the driver is asked to blow into the tube.
4. If the breathalyzer result does not exceed 0.2 ppm, a corresponding entry is made in the protocol, which is filled out in 2 copies. The patrol officer gives the second copy of the protocol to the driver and lets him go, unless, of course, he has other suspicious symptoms indicating intoxication or serious health problems. Otherwise, the driver is taken to the hospital, leaving his car on the side of the road.

A positive alcohol test requires further decision on the driver's fate in court. The patrol inspector notifies the driver of the result, shows the device and asks whether the person agrees with the test results. A corresponding note is made in the protocol.

If the driver agrees with the results of the breathalyzer test, he signs the protocol and is free to go until the time comes to appear in court. He is not allowed to get behind the wheel.

If the person does not agree with the results, then after the note in the protocol, he is given a referral for examination at a medical institution indicating all the details of the incident and the number of the breathalyzer used for the preliminary analysis. The patrol inspector is obliged to deliver the driver to the specified medical institution in his car.

The breathalyzer used must be equipped with a device that allows printing the results of the analysis on paper, which is an important document when applying to the court. The receipt is printed in 2 copies, which are attached to the protocol and its copy.

Upon arrival at the medical facility, the inspector must have a completed protocol without indicating the breathalyzer readings and a referral for examination at the hospital. The narcologist examines the patient for signs of intoxication (12 points). After 20 minutes, a repeat examination must be conducted.

During the examination, samples of biological fluids are taken from the detainee for alcohol analysis. Samples must be taken in 2 copies. One is used for the current check, the other is kept for 90 days in case of a repeat test necessary for the trial.

The doctor must issue a conclusion on the results of the study in 3 copies, one of which remains in the hospital for reporting. The results of the medical examination are entered into the protocol, regardless of whether they coincide with the readings of the breathalyzer.

The results of the medical alcohol test are announced in the presence of both parties (the driver and the inspector). If the test shows that the person is sober, the patrol officer has no right to detain him any longer, even if the tester shows otherwise. Otherwise, the car is blocked and sent to the impound lot, and the driver will have to appear in court.

The court will invalidate the results of the alcohol test if at least one of its provisions was violated.

Normal performance

Since we are considering different types of alcohol analysis, and the material for the study is completely different biological environments (blood, urine, saliva, exhaled air), it is necessary to take into account that the presence and concentration of ethanol in them may differ over time. For example, alcohol gets into the blood and saliva much faster than into urine, but it remains in the urine longer, and in case of chronic alcohol abuse, its remains are detected even after a couple of months.

Now, regarding the concentration. If we are talking about the presence of alcohol in the blood of the subject, the permissible ethanol content for drivers and people involved in dangerous work is considered to be 0.2 ppm. In this case, the person is considered sober and there can be no claims against him.

For urine, this figure is 0.1 ppm, for exhaled air – 0.16 ppm. Officially, only the last figure is noted in the legislation.

Let's return to the decoding of blood and urine tests. According to the table approved by the Ministry of Health, a person is considered sober if alcohol in the blood (urine) is found in an amount from 0 to 3.0 ppm. This is how much ethanol the human body itself produces.

If the alcohol content in biological fluids is registered within the range of 0.3 to 1.0 ppm, a state of mild intoxication or euphoria is diagnosed, in which the processes of coordination of movements and perception slow down. This is a very dangerous state, because it is characterized by self-confidence and unjustified courage. In such a state, a person considers himself absolutely sober and adequate, which does not correspond to reality.

Alcohol intoxication up to 2.0 ppm is considered a moderate degree of intoxication with a slow reaction and inability to adequately assess the situation. Higher levels indicate ethanol poisoning and require immediate medical attention.

The norms for the CDT alcohol test are different. A positive result indicating chronic alcoholism is considered to be a CDT of more than 1.3%. At the same time, indicators within 1.3-1.6% are considered controversial ("gray zone"). If the test gives such a result, a person can do a repeat test after 3-4 weeks.

A CDT reading of less than 1.3% is considered a negative result, but it does not rule out the possibility that the person is an occasional drinker.

It should be noted that the permissible levels of alcohol in biological fluids may differ depending on the region of residence. They are subject to revision periodically. Therefore, in controversial situations, it is necessary to look for fresh information on this issue.

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Non-alcoholic beer and alcohol test

The question of whether it is possible to get drunk from non-alcoholic beer worries many drivers. After all, non-alcoholic beer is only called non-alcoholic, in fact, it contains alcohol, although in very small quantities - less than 1% (usually 0.4-0.7%). In this regard, another question arises: will the traffic police breathalyzer show the presence of ethanol in the blood if the driver treats himself to non-alcoholic beer while driving?

There were different situations related to drinking this drink while driving. Some managed to successfully pass the alcohol test, and the police had no complaints about them. And for others, the alcohol test gave a positive result, which significantly reduced the number of bills in the wallet.

Numerous studies have shown that the result on the breathalyzer display is proportional to the amount of drink consumed and the time of the measurement. For example, if a driver drinks 1-1.25 liters of non-alcoholic beer on the road, and 10 minutes later he is stopped by a traffic patrol and tested for alcohol, the result will most likely be negative.

It's a different matter if a beer lover, as usually happens, does not stop there, but drinks 2-2.5 liters of foamy "non-alcoholic" and is immediately stopped by the police. In this case, the alotester can show 0.9-0.11 ppm, which indicates a mild degree of intoxication with impaired reflexes and inhibited reaction.

It turns out that non-alcoholic beer is not such a safe product, and you need to think about whether you should drink it while driving or give preference to other types of drinks that do not contain alcohol.

How to Cheat a Breathalyzer Test?

No matter what innovative alcohol testing devices the industry produces, our savvy people will still find different ways to deceive them. But it is important to understand that the results of blood, urine or saliva alcohol testing conducted in a laboratory can only be falsified by replacing the biomaterial or bribing the medical staff.

It is also quite problematic to deceive professional breathalyzers used by road patrol officers. Numerous methods, such as chewing gum, a cup of coffee, a spoonful or two of sunflower oil, a pinch of nutmeg, chocolate, seeds and cinnamon, will at best remove bad breath or affect metabolism, slowing down the absorption or accelerating the elimination of ethanol from the body, but are unlikely to have a noticeable effect on the test results.

The same applies to taking activated carbon, ascorbic acid, water with citric acid, and the drug "Antipolitsay". All such methods work until it is time to blow into the tube. With their help, it is only possible to slightly reduce the ppm figure if the indicator is within the limit. Remember that the permissible level of ethanol in exhaled air is 0.16 ppm, which may indicate more likely the remains of alcohol in the body, which was drunk at least a day before the analysis.

The most effective way to slightly influence the breathalyzer result is considered to be the hyperventilation method. That is, before breathing into the tube, you need to take several deep breaths in and out, as if clearing the airways from ethanol molecules entering the lungs and bronchi from the blood, for a short time.

But here too, it is necessary to take into account the fact that holding your breath for a bit can bring all your efforts to nothing. This method works, but mainly on devices with a semiconductor display, which police inspectors may have only at their own discretion (and bought with their own money). But in this case, they may already be initially adjusted to the detriment of drivers, so try or not, you will be guilty.

Professional devices used by the police are unlikely to be fooled even in this way. Not to mention mouth fresheners. They will not reduce, and in some cases (if they contain alcohol) will actually increase the breathalyzer readings.

In general, when it comes to alcohol testing, it is important not to deceive someone, but not to be deceived yourself. Not only can dishonest police officers try to cheat you out of money in every possible way. It is quite possible to deceive yourself, not knowing what can affect the results of the alcohol test.

So, what can distort the readings of various breathalyzer tests:

• taking medications with alcohol or containing some amount of ethanol,
• accidental use of toxic substances containing methyl alcohol,
• a disease such as diabetes mellitus, if the acetone level is elevated and the device is sensitive to acetone,
• the amount drunk (the more it is, the worse the result),
• the speed of consumption “per capita” (the faster a portion of alcohol was consumed, the higher its level in the blood will be),
• the strength of the alcoholic drink (if "low alcohol" drinks are not able to significantly affect the test result, then strong drinks are quite capable of doing so); medium-strength drinks enter the bloodstream the fastest,
• malfunction of the device on which the study is being conducted.

It is important to know that people with a lot of weight may have lower tester readings due to excess water in the body, which dilutes the alcohol. And older people may have higher readings than younger people due to their metabolic peculiarities. Women have less free water in their bodies than men (it is bound in fat cells, which are more common in the weaker sex), so the ethanol readings in the blood and exhaled air may be slightly elevated, which is sometimes facilitated by female hormones (estrogen).

Theoretically, some drinks and products can give a positive result on a breathalyzer, but it is better to refrain from consuming them before getting behind the wheel. We are talking about store-bought juices, kvass, oranges, bananas, overripe fruits, fermented milk products that can cause fermentation with the release of ethanol, and especially kumiss, which gives values even higher than non-alcoholic beer. It is not a fact that consuming the above products will affect the result of the alcohol test, but is it worth the risk? And then try to prove that you did not drink alcohol.

An alcohol test in a laboratory may be incorrect if the requirements for collecting and storing the biomaterial were not met, as well as if the research technology was violated. For example, a blood test taken from a vein may show higher results if the skin is treated with alcohol before piercing, which is unacceptable. But knowing what can affect the test result, you can try to exclude these factors and control the course of the test so that the result does not sin against the truth, causing bewilderment and protest.