THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACETONE INTERFERENCE IN BREATH ALCOHOL MEASUREMENT

Abstract

This report discusses the significnce of possible interference of acetone in breath alcohol testing. The following dimensions are considered: (1) what levels of acetone concentration may appear on the breath, (2) what levels of acetone concentration may produce significant breath alcohol concentration readings by breath testers, and (3) which instrument types may be sensitive to the presence of acetone. The issue of acetone interference was found to have no practical significance in traffic law enforcement for the following reasons: (1) The level of actone on the breath that would be required to produce even minimal breath alcohol concentration readings (e.g. 0.01%) is rarely seen in the on-the-road arrest situations (i.e. less than 0.028% of the situations). (2) Diabetic and dieting individuals who are well enough to drive do not have sufficient levels of acetone on their breath to increase breath alcohol concentration readings more than a very small amount (practical maximum of 0.01% to 0.02%). (3) The number of evidential breath testers in use that are unable to discriminate between acetone and ethyl alcohol is very small, estimated to be less than 1,000 nationwide. Most commercially available evidential breath testers sold today are made to distinguish acetone from ethyl alcohol, so that the issue is moot in almost all cases.