Blood concentrations of acetaldehyde and ethanol in chronic alcoholics

Fifteen adult male alcoholic volunteers were studied before, during, and after a 10- to 15-day period of experimentally induced intoxication. Blood acetaldehyde concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 0.15 and from 0.04 to 0.08 milligrams per 100 milliliters when blood ethanol concentrations ranged from 1 to 400 milligrams per 100 milliliters after consumption of bourbon or grain ethanol, respectively. No dose or dose-time relationships were found between blood ethanol concentrations and blood acetaldehyde concentrations during any phase of this study.