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Microdialysis of Ethanol During Operant Ethanol Self-administration and Ethanol Determination by Gas Chromatography
Published on: September 5, 2012
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Review of Ethanol Intoxication Sensing Technologies and Techniques
Szymon Paprocki1, Meha Qassem1, Panicos A Kyriacou1
1Research Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Science and Technology, University of London, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, UK.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 23, 2022
Summary
This review details over 100 years of alcohol intoxication sensing, highlighting advancements in noninvasive breath, transdermal, and optical methods for personal monitoring. Gas chromatography remains the gold standard for blood ethanol measurement.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Alcohol intoxication sensing has a rich history spanning over a century.
- Existing methods encompass estimates, breathalyzers, bodily fluid analysis, transdermal sensors, mathematical algorithms, and optical techniques.
- The pursuit of effective and accurate intoxication quantification drives innovation across multiple scientific disciplines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the historical development and current state of alcohol intoxication quantifying devices and techniques.
- To analyze the performance and drawbacks of various alcohol sensing categories.
- To identify emerging trends, particularly in noninvasive personal monitoring technologies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of literature on alcohol intoxication sensing technologies.
- Categorization of techniques into six main groups: estimates, breath alcohol devices, bodily fluid testing, transdermal sensors, mathematical algorithms, and optical techniques.
- Analysis of the operational principles, performance, and limitations of each category.
Main Results:
- Gas chromatography is the gold standard for blood ethanol measurement.
- Breath alcohol devices are prevalent in law enforcement, while mathematical estimations are common in forensics.
- Noninvasive transdermal and optical methods show significant development for personal monitoring, with some optical techniques surpassing breathalyzers in precision.
- 38 unique technologies were identified, emphasizing innovation in noninvasive sensing.
Conclusions:
- The field is rapidly evolving towards noninvasive technologies for personal alcohol intoxication monitoring.
- While established methods like gas chromatography and breathalyzers remain important, newer optical and transdermal approaches offer promising alternatives.
- Continued innovation is driven by the need for accurate, accessible, and noninvasive methods to assess intoxication levels.
