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Concentration units used to report blood- and breath-alcohol concentration for legal purposes are important to consider when blood-breath ratios of alcohol are calculated and compared between countries: re-evaluation of a German study with Alcotest 9510 DE evidential instrument
Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
2025 (English)In: CANADIAN SOCIETY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE JOURNAL, ISSN 0008-5030, Vol. 58, no 2, p. 40-51Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This article re-evaluates the results of a controlled drinking study done in Germany to determine inter-subject variation in the blood-to-breath ratio (BBR) of alcohol. Statutory blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) limits for driving in Germany are 0.50 g/kg (administrative offence) and 1.1 g/kg (criminal offence). Mass/mass concentration units (g/kg) are 6 % lower than mass/volume (g/L) units, because the density of blood is 1.06 kg/L on average. The corresponding statutory breath-alcohol concentration (BrAC) limits for driving in Germany are 0.25 mg/L and 0.55 mg/L, respectively. BAC in road traffic cases is determined indirectly by the analysis of serum and dividing by 1.236, which underestimates the true BAC. Using Alcotest 9510 DE evidential breath analyzer, the mean +/- SD, median and range of BBRs of alcohol were 2047 +/- 150, 2053, and 1571-2394 and 61% were less than 2100:1. After re-calculating BAC assuming a serum/blood distribution ratio of ethanol of 1.14:1 and reporting results in mass/volume units, the corresponding BBRs were 2220 +/- 162, 2226, and 1703-2595 and 21% were less than 2100. Care is needed when the results of German studies of the BBR of alcohol are compared and contrasted with studies done in other countries. Cet article r & eacute;& eacute;value les r & eacute;sultats d'une & eacute;tude sur la consommation contr & ocirc;l & eacute;e d'alcool r & eacute;alis & eacute;e en Allemagne afin de d & eacute;terminer la variation inter-sujets du rapport sang-haleine (RSA) de l'alcool. Les limites l & eacute;gales de concentration d'alcool dans le sang (BAC) pour la conduite en Allemagne sont de 0,50 g/kg (infraction administrative) et de 1,1 g/kg (infraction p & eacute;nale). Les unit & eacute;s de concentration masse/masse (g/kg) sont inf & eacute;rieures de 6 % aux unit & eacute;s masse/volume (g/L), car la densit & eacute; du sang est de 1,06 kg/L en moyenne. Les limites l & eacute;gales correspondantes de concentration d'alcool dans l'air expir & eacute; (BrAC) pour la conduite en Allemagne sont respectivement de 0,25 mg/L et 0,55 mg/L. Le taux d'alcool & eacute;mie dans les cas de trafic routier est d & eacute;termin & eacute; indirectement en analysant le s & eacute;rum et en le divisant par 1,236, ce qui sous-estime le taux d'alcool & eacute;mie r & eacute;el. En utilisant l'analyseur d'haleine Alcotest 9510 DE, la moyenne +/- SD, la m & eacute;diane et l'intervalle des taux d'alcool & eacute;mie & eacute;taient de 2047 +/- 150, 2053, et 1571-2394 et 61% d'entre eux & eacute;taient inf & eacute;rieurs & agrave; 2100:1. Apr & egrave;s avoir recalcul & eacute; l'alcool & eacute;mie en supposant un rapport de distribution s & eacute;rum/sang de l'& eacute;thanol de 1,14:1 et rapport & eacute; les r & eacute;sultats en unit & eacute;s masse/volume, les TBC correspondants & eacute;taient de 2220 +/- 162, 2226, et 1703-2595 et 21% & eacute;taient inf & eacute;rieurs & agrave; 2100. Il convient d'& ecirc;tre prudent lorsque les r & eacute;sultats des & eacute;tudes allemandes sur le TBC de l'alcool sont compar & eacute;s et mis en contraste avec des & eacute;tudes r & eacute;alis & eacute;es dans d'autres pays.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD , 2025. Vol. 58, no 2, p. 40-51
Keywords [en]
Blood-alcohol; breath-alcohol; blood/breath ratios; concentration units; legal medicine; forensic science; Alcool & eacute;mie; alcool dans l'air expir & eacute;; rapports sang/haleine; unit & eacute;s de concentration; m & eacute;decine l & eacute;gale; science forensique
National Category
Forensic Science
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-208005DOI: 10.1080/00085030.2024.2393185ISI: 001314994900001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85204216755OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-208005DiVA, id: diva2:1903368
Available from: 2024-10-04 Created: 2024-10-04 Last updated: 2025-06-27

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