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Volatile substances and their potential to interfere with breath alcohol reading instruments
1Stockwood Medical Centre, Bristol, UK.
Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine
|March 1, 1997
Summary
Volatile substance abuse can interfere with evidential breath testing equipment, potentially leading to inaccurate results. New devices aim to detect solvents, but may still face challenges with abused substances.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Volatile substance abuse (VSA) presents challenges in forensic settings.
- Existing Home Office guidance (1983) advises against breath testing for suspected glue-sniffing, but awareness is limited.
- Implications for law enforcement and medical professionals require consideration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the interference of abused volatile substances with evidential breath testing.
- To discuss the implications of VSA on roadside testing procedures.
- To consider potential issues with upcoming breath testing devices.
Main Methods:
- Case study analysis of two instances involving VSA and breath testing.
- Review of existing Home Office guidance on VSA and breath testing.
- Anticipation of new evidential breath testing device capabilities.
Main Results:
- Abused volatile substances can significantly interfere with evidential breath testing equipment.
- Current guidance on VSA is not widely known or applied.
- Upcoming breath testing devices designed to detect solvents may still encounter interference issues.
Conclusions:
- VSA poses a risk of inaccurate evidential breath test results.
- Enhanced awareness and updated protocols are needed for police and medical personnel.
- Future breath testing technology requires careful evaluation for VSA interference.