Department of Forensic Medicine and Institute of Forensic Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. yoosh@snu.ac.kr

To evaluate the concentration-time profiles of breath ethanol in degradation phase in proportion to the amount of alcohol, we carried out the controlled drinking study for 24 healthy males. Studies are performed three times in the interval of two weeks. Before the experiment, we analyzed alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) to compare with the degradation rate. All subjects are classified into three groups considering past alcohol-drinking history. Group A subjects (n = 6) consumed 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 g ethanol kg of body weight, group B subjects (n = 9) 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 g, and group C subjects (n = 9) 0.75, 1.0 and 1.25 g in fasting state, respectively. Breath alcohol samples were examined from 30 minutes to 5 hour every 30-60 minutes after the alcohol intake. Statistical analysis of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) values obtained. Concentration-time profiles of alcohol were plotted for each subject and the rate of degradation of breath was determined using linear regression analysis. According to the mean of corrected regression lines, disappearance rate of BrAC is calculated in A group: 0.0101 +/- 0.000232% (v/v), B group: 0.0093 +/- 0.000133% (v/v), C group: 0.0099 +/- 0.000121% (v/v).

Key words : alcohol, breath, alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase

Original article