Forensics Toxicology Alcohol

Alcohol Alcohol is a colorless liquid, normally diluted with water and consumed as a beverage. Alcohol is a colorless liquid, normally diluted with water and consumed as a beverage. It is also a drug used as a depressant. Alcohol’s principle effect is on the central nervous system and brain. The extent of the depression is proportional to the concentration of alcohol within the nerve cell.

Alcohol Absorption of alcohol takes place immediately after it is ingested. Absorption of alcohol takes place immediately after it is ingested. After the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, it circulates to the watery organs—including the brain, carried to the lungs, metabolizes in the liver and then is excreted out through breath, sweat and urine.

Alcohol The amount of alcohol in the bloodstream is known as the BAC (blood-alcohol concentration) level. One drink raises the BAC 0.015% to 0.02% 1 drink = 12oz. Beer = 6oz. Wine = 1 oz. hard liquor

Alcohol The Physiological Effects of Alcohol on your Body Euphoria (BAC= 0.03 to 0.12%) more self-confident poor judgment shortened attention span become flushed with difficulty with fine movement

AlcoholExcitement (BAC= 0.09 to 0.25%) drowsiness difficulty understanding or remembering slow reaction time, loss of balance Confusion (BAC= 0.18 to 0.30%) highly emotional--aggressive, withdrawn or affectionate slurred speech uncoordinated movements

AlcoholStupor (BAC=0.25 to 0.40%) barely move, cannot stand or walk vomiting in and out of consciousness Coma (BAC= 0.35 to 0.50%) unconscious shallow breathing, slow heart rate Death (BAC more than 0.50%) alcohol poisoning

Alcohol Several factors may attribute to slowing down the rate of absorption of alcohol: 1. Total time taken to consume the drink body absorbs and metabolizes 1 drink per hour 2. The alcohol content of the beverage 3. The amount consumed one drink raises the BAC level to 0.02% 4. The quantity of food present in the stomach the more food present, less absorption

Alcohol As blood goes through the lungs, some of the alcohol moves across the membranes of the lungs’ aveoli, then out into the air.

Alcohol There is a fixed ratio between the amount of alcohol in the blood and the amount of alcohol in the breath. 1ml blood= 2100ml breath alcohol There are several instruments to measure the BAC in the breath:

Alcohol Three major types of breath testing devices: 1.Breathalyzer —when alcohol is present, it causes a chemical reaction to produce a color change. 2.Intoxilyzer —uses infrared spectroscopy 3.Alco-sensor —a chemical reaction occurs within the fuel cell

Alcohol Breathalyzer Breathalyzer Developed by Dr. Robert Borkenstein in Developed by Dr. Robert Borkenstein in A breathalyzer is a spectrophotometer that has been specially designed to measure the absorption of light passing through the potassium dichromate solution at a single wavelength. Simply, when you breathe into the device, any alcohol present will dissolve the dichromate solution and destroy it. It is the extent of this destruction that is measured in the Breathalyzer.

Alcohol Intoxilyzer Intoxilyzer This is an infrared breath- testing instrument in which infrared reacts with the alcohol and causes the light to decrease in intensity. The decrease is measured by a photoelectric detector. This is an infrared breath- testing instrument in which infrared reacts with the alcohol and causes the light to decrease in intensity. The decrease is measured by a photoelectric detector. A microprocessor is inside to display and print the results.

Infrared Breath Tester

AlcoholAlco-sensor The Alco-sensor uses a fuel cell to convert alcohol into acetic acid to generate an electrical current that is proportional to the quantity of alcohol present in the breath.

Alcohol When a police officer suspects a driver may be intoxicated, a number of field tests may be done to ascertain the degree of the suspect’s physical impairment. These include: Horizontal gaze nystagmus Walk and turn One-leg stand

Alcohol The standard BAC level in Georgia is.08 The standard BAC level in Georgia is.08 If a suspect fails the sobriety test, and has a BAC level of.08 or higher, they will be deemed intoxicated, and arrested. At the station, blood is collected and preserved, then analyzed for alcohol by gas chromatography.

If convicted of DUI 1.Can go to jail for up to 1 year 2.Will do 40 hours of community service 3.Will pay a large fine 4.Will lose driver’s license for 1-5 years 5.Will attend DUI school 6.Will pay reinstatement fee to get your license 7.Will pay higher insurance premiums 8.Might have an ignition interlock device on car 9.Might turn in license plates of all vehicles 10.Might have picture in paper 11.Might attend alcohol counseling

Alcohol Even those with a BAC level of 0.03 can cause accidents because of poor judgment.

Alcohol A BAC level of 0.08% creates 4 times a greater chance of a crash.

Alcohol A BAC level of 0.16% creates 25 times greater chance of a crash.

Alcohol