PSYC 3403 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Infrared Spectroscopy, Breathalyzer, Chemical Reaction
19 Feb 2014
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Issue is that it is indirect, because you are not measuring the amount of alcohol in the blood, but rather on their breath. Invasive (sterilization is an issue: painful, data lag (needs to go to lab, costly. Etoh transfers from blood to the alveolar sacs in the lungs. Much like co2 exchange: breath in oxygen, breathe out carbon dioxide. Measurable etoh is expelled via breath brac (breath alcohol concentration) Known ratio: if you have . 08 bac, then your brac is . 02. Someone takes a breathalyzer and they blow a . 03 brac. To isolate x bac, multiply . 03 brac with . 08 bac. Based on degree of color change, can say how much alcohol is in your blood. Different wavelengths of light (infrared) and based on deflection of light, it can figure out bac: alcosensor iii or iv. Comprised of: breath acquisition: mouthpiece, chemical substrates: glass vials. Does the actual analysis: photocells and meter: detection.
