Problems of Forensic Sciences 2003 Vol. 56 (LVI) 40-47
ANALYSIS OF ETHYL ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION CHANGES DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL TO WHICH A VIAL IS FILLED WITH BLOOD – PART II
Jarosław BERENT, Maciej BARZDO, Stefan SZRAM
Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University, Łódź
Streszczenie
The results of studies on how the amount of blood sample in a vial (% fullness) influences changes in ethyl alcohol concentration (in the blood sample) are presented in this paper. Moreover, the decrease in the ethyl alcohol concentration in blood stored in non-airtight (open) vials was analysed. It was shown that the decrease in ethyl alcohol concentration in blood stored in an incompletely filled vial depends on the level to which the vial is filled with blood and the initial alcohol concentration in the tested blood sample. The observed changes in concentration are greater than would be expected on the basis of theoretical calculations. However, in vials filled to the extent that could be realistically encountered in routine practice, these changes are too small – in relation to the initial concentration – to significantly affect forensic medical opinions. However, the decrease in alcohol concentration in blood stored in a non-airtight vial is significant and thus is of great practical significance.
Słowa kluczowe
Ethyl alcohol; Blood sample volume; Non-airtight vial.