Annals of Emergency Medicine
Volume 55, Issue 2 , Pages 198-200 , February 2010

Breath Alcohol Analyzer Mistakes Methanol Poisoning for Alcohol Intoxication

Presented at the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology meeting, October 2006, San Francisco, CA.

  • E. Martin Caravati, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Utah Poison Control Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
    • Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress for correspondence: E. Martin Caravati, MD, MPH, 585 Komas Drive, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT 84108; 801-587-0600, fax 801-581-4199
    • ,
  • Kathleen T. Anderson, PharmD

      Affiliations

    • Utah Poison Control Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

Received 8 May 2009 ,Revised 15 July 2009 ,Accepted 22 July 2009.

References 

  1. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Conforming products list of evidential breath alcohol measurement devices. Fed Reg. 2007;72:71480–71483
  2. Berger A. How does it work? (alcohol breath testing). BMJ. 2002;325:1403
  3. Razatos G, Luthi R, Kerrigan S. Evaluation of a portable evidential breath alcohol analyzer. Forensic Sci Int. 2005;153:17–21
  4. Dubowski KM, Essary NA. Measurement of low breath-alcohol concentrations: laboratory studies and field experience. J Anal Toxicol. 1999;23:386–395
  5. Harding PM, Laessig RN, Field PH. Field performance of the Intoxilyzer 5000: a comparison of blood- and breath-alcohol results in Wisconsin drivers. J Forensic Sci. 1990;35:1022–1028
  6. Caldwell JP, Kim ND. The response of the Intoxilyzer 5000 to five potential interfering substances. J Forensic Sci. 1997;42:1080–1087
  7. Cowan JM, McCutcheon JR, Weathermon A. The response of the Intoxilyzer 4011AS-A® to a number of possible interfering substances. J Forensic Sci. 1990;35:797–812
  8. Jones AW. Interfering substances identified in the breath of drinking drivers with Intoxilyzer 5000S. J Anal Toxicol. 1996;20:522–527
  9. Department of Forensic Science, State of Virginia. Breath test operator instructional manual, revised. In: September 2005;p. 47–48http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/services/breathAlcohol/bamanual.pdfAccessed May 4, 2009
  10. Laasko O, Pennanen T, Himber K, et al. Effect of eight solvents on ethanol analysis by Drager 7110 evidential breath analyzer. J Forensic Sci. 2004;49:1113–1116
  11. Plyler EK. Infrared spectra of methanol, ethanol, and n-propanol. J Res Natl Bureau Standards. 1952;48:281–286
  12. Edwards MA, Giguiere W, Lewis D, et al. Intoxilyzer interference by solvents. J Anal Toxicol. 1986;10:125

 Supervising editor: Richard C. Dart, MD, PhD

 Funding and support: By Annals policy, all authors are required to disclose any and all commercial, financial, and other relationships in any way related to the subject of this article that might create any potential conflict of interest. The authors have stated that no such relationships exist. See the Manuscript Submission Agreement in this issue for examples of specific conflicts covered by this statement.

 Publication date: Available online October 14, 2009.

 Reprints not available from author.

PII: S0196-0644(09)01280-3

doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2009.07.021

Annals of Emergency Medicine
Volume 55, Issue 2 , Pages 198-200 , February 2010

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