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Quality assurance in breath-alcohol analysis

K M Dubowski1

  • 1University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Medicine, Oklahoma City.

Journal of Analytical Toxicology
|October 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

A robust quality assurance (QA) program is essential for accurate evidential breath-alcohol testing. Key scientific safeguards, including pretest observation and duplicate sample analysis, ensure reliable results.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Science
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Evidential breath-alcohol testing is critical for legal and public safety applications.
  • Accurate alcohol concentration measurement in breath requires stringent procedural controls.
  • Quality assurance (QA) is fundamental to the validity and reliability of breath-alcohol testing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the essential components of a comprehensive QA program for evidential breath-alcohol testing.
  • To highlight critical scientific safeguards necessary for quality control in breath analysis.
  • To emphasize the legal and scientific defensibility of established QA protocols.

Main Methods:

  • Detailed the five key areas of a comprehensive QA program: subject preparation, analysis, reporting, proficiency testing, and facilities/personnel.
  • Identified specific scientific safeguards crucial for quality control.
  • Reviewed the historical acceptance of these safeguards in judicial settings.

Main Results:

  • A comprehensive QA program encompasses subject management, analytical procedures, data integrity, external validation, and operational infrastructure.
  • Essential scientific safeguards include a 15-minute pretest observation period, blank tests, duplicate breath sample analysis, and accompanying control tests.
  • These QA components and safeguards have been consistently upheld in legal challenges for over three decades.

Conclusions:

  • Implementing a thorough QA program with specific scientific safeguards is imperative for accurate and defensible evidential breath-alcohol testing.
  • The established protocols ensure the scientific integrity and legal admissibility of breath-alcohol test results.
  • Adherence to these QA principles provides a robust framework for reliable alcohol level determination.

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