Elevated concentrations of acetone and unidentified compounds in the breath of alcohol abusers

A highly sensitive gas chromatographic assay was used to measure volatile organic compounds in the breath. Samples of breath from three groups of subjects were studied: normal volunteers (n = 15), acutely intoxicated alcohol abusers (n = 11), and abstinent alcohol abusers (n = 13). Acetone levels were significantly higher in the acutely intoxicated subjects than in the normals (p less than 0.05) or the abstinent alcohol abusers (p less than 0.05). Chromatographic peaks arising from 13 unidentified compounds in the breath were observed; two of these unidentified compounds were observed only in the intoxicated and abstinent alcohol abusers. Statistically significance was achieved in only one unidentified peak; elevated levels of this compound were seen in both acutely intoxicated alcohol abusers (p less than 0.01) and in the abstinent alcohol abusers (p less than 0.01) when they were compared to normal subjects.