Response of Breath-Alcohol Analyzers to Acetone*

Abstract

Quantitative evidential breath-alcohol analyzers and screening testers in each of the five current categories of analytical principle were examined for response to dynamically-generated acetone vapor concentrations of 3, 100, 150, 350, and 600 micrograms/210 Liters. Nine of the 13 instruments tested were unaffected by acetone at any of these concentrations; three solid-state (Taguchi) sensing devices and one device employing single-wavelength infrared spectrometry displayed responses to acetone at the two highest tested concentrations. In view of a breath-acetone literature survey for ambulatory subjects and other considerations, response of the tested devices to acetone is not considered to be a significant problem in breath-alcohol analysis for traffic law enforcement purposes.