A breathalyzer machine refers to a device used to estimate the content of alcohol in the blood using a breath sample. The invention of this device dates as back as 1874. Back then, there were only observations of the possibility of detecting the presence of alcohol in the blood stream using breath. The observations were built onto until the device was first invented by a chemist in Chicago in 1927.
However, the chemist in Chicago cannot be termed as the sole inventor of the equipment because there were previous works concerning the same. Today there are several models of this system even though the mode of working remains similar across all. The person under investigation is needed to breath into a mouthpiece of the breathalyzer. The appliance has a two leads, the cathode and the anode.
Any amount of ethanol contained in the breath is oxidized to form acetic acid at the anode terminal. At the cathode terminal, atmospheric oxygen present in the breath is reduced. The overall reaction that takes place in the entire process is the oxidation of ethanol into water and acetic acid. The reaction generates an electric current, which is measured by a microprocessor.
The reading of the electric current is displayed as an estimate of blood alcohol content (BAC) by an alcosensor. The displayed value is in terms of the amount of alcohol content per a given volume of air. The accuracy of modern devices is high and very reliable. The oxidizing agent used in most devices is chromium trioxide.
There are two main technologies or versions of breath analyzers in the market presently. The first version is known as the desktop analyzer, which in general uses electro-chemical fuel cell or infrared spectro-photometer technology or a combination of the two. Hand-held versions of this gadget are produced basing on electrochemical fuel cell technology.
Breatherlyser machines are applied in several sectors on a public and/or private scale. Law enforcing agents in many nations employ the gadget along highways to detect individuals who drive cars under alcohol influence. The gadget offers a non-invasive technique of determining if an individual has alcohol in their body system. The results of the test are provided in courts as proof against citizens who violate the law concerning driving under alcohol influence. People are arrested only if the stated level of alcohol level in blood is surpassed.
The price for a breathaliser equipment depends on its make and quality. The models used by law enforcement officers are very expensive because they use expensive technology. The price however matches their high level of sensitivity, reliability, and accuracy. There are devices that are used by individuals and companies too. These ones mainly use semiconductor based technology, which is less reliable, less accurate, and cheap.
These gadgets are certified and standardized by various authorities in different states. For instance in USA, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority makes sure that the quality of devices sold to people is high. By mere fact that a breathalyzer machine is available in the market does not guarantee its accuracy. For this reason, outcomes from devices, which are constructed around semiconductor technology are never utilized in USA courts as evidence.
However, the chemist in Chicago cannot be termed as the sole inventor of the equipment because there were previous works concerning the same. Today there are several models of this system even though the mode of working remains similar across all. The person under investigation is needed to breath into a mouthpiece of the breathalyzer. The appliance has a two leads, the cathode and the anode.
Any amount of ethanol contained in the breath is oxidized to form acetic acid at the anode terminal. At the cathode terminal, atmospheric oxygen present in the breath is reduced. The overall reaction that takes place in the entire process is the oxidation of ethanol into water and acetic acid. The reaction generates an electric current, which is measured by a microprocessor.
The reading of the electric current is displayed as an estimate of blood alcohol content (BAC) by an alcosensor. The displayed value is in terms of the amount of alcohol content per a given volume of air. The accuracy of modern devices is high and very reliable. The oxidizing agent used in most devices is chromium trioxide.
There are two main technologies or versions of breath analyzers in the market presently. The first version is known as the desktop analyzer, which in general uses electro-chemical fuel cell or infrared spectro-photometer technology or a combination of the two. Hand-held versions of this gadget are produced basing on electrochemical fuel cell technology.
Breatherlyser machines are applied in several sectors on a public and/or private scale. Law enforcing agents in many nations employ the gadget along highways to detect individuals who drive cars under alcohol influence. The gadget offers a non-invasive technique of determining if an individual has alcohol in their body system. The results of the test are provided in courts as proof against citizens who violate the law concerning driving under alcohol influence. People are arrested only if the stated level of alcohol level in blood is surpassed.
The price for a breathaliser equipment depends on its make and quality. The models used by law enforcement officers are very expensive because they use expensive technology. The price however matches their high level of sensitivity, reliability, and accuracy. There are devices that are used by individuals and companies too. These ones mainly use semiconductor based technology, which is less reliable, less accurate, and cheap.
These gadgets are certified and standardized by various authorities in different states. For instance in USA, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority makes sure that the quality of devices sold to people is high. By mere fact that a breathalyzer machine is available in the market does not guarantee its accuracy. For this reason, outcomes from devices, which are constructed around semiconductor technology are never utilized in USA courts as evidence.
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