Problems of Forensic Sciences 2006 Vol. 66 (LXVI) 159-164
POSITIVE READINGS ON EVIDENTIAL BREATH ANALYSERS IN CASES OF PRESENCE OF ACETONE IN EXHALED AIR
Paweł PAPIERZ, Jarosław BERENT, Stefan SZRAM
Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical Academy, Łódź, Poland
Streszczenie
In the paper a case of a driver is described, in whom 0.28‰ alcohol was (indirectly) determined in blood by analysing exhaled air using an Alcomat v. 5.4, whereas the presence of alcohol was not ascertained as a result of direct analysis of blood by the GC method. The divergence in results originating from the two methods and the statement of the driver about the possibility of the influence of metabolites linked with a fast he had undertaken for medical reasons on the day of the accident and also the lack of information in the literature of the subject describing similar cases, necessitated performance of additional research. The research consisted in (collecting and) analysing blood samples and exhaled air. In order to exclude the effect of elimination of alcohol, exhaled air was studied just after collecting blood. Ethanol was not ascertained in any of the samples of blood collected from the driver; only various concentrations of acetone were determined (from 30 mg% to 50 mg%). However, all measurements of exhaled air gave a positive result at the level of about 0.2‰ ethanol.