What Are Breathalyzers And How Do They Work?

Breathalyzer is a portmanteau on the words breath and analyzer and this instrument is utilized to find out a person's blood alcohol content (BAC) by examining exhaled air. Breathalyzer actually is the brand name of a line of blood alcohol content analyzing equipment made by Smith and Wesson but over the years has become a proprietary eponym for similar instruments. Nowadays, you can find a number of blood alcohol content analyzers to choose from, ranging from those used by law enforcement agencies to personal breathalyzers. In any case, these devices pass through stringent set of standards before they are sold in the market, to ensure the results are accurate.

Alcohol does not change chemically once it is absorbed in the blood. As the blood goes through the lungs, some of the alcohol moves into the air sacs and expelled during exhalation. That's why the amount of alcohol in a person's breath sample mirrors its serum concentration. As the individual exhales into the Breathalyzer, the unit detects the existence of ethanol and calculates how much alcohol is present in that sample.

Authorities work with 2 types of Breathalyzer. They keep tabletop model for screening within their offices and portable ones to screen motorists they feel are inebriated. Bigger analyzers utilize either infrared spectrophotometer or electrochemical fuel cell technology, at times both. Hand-held models on the other hand use electrochemical platinum fuel cell analysis in general. Nowadays, you can also find models made for domestic use. Personal breathalyzers, which are also hand-held, use semiconductor-based sensing technology instead of fuel cell and infrared technology. The technology built into consumer models is less sophisticated than their infrared and fuel cell counterparts making them more affordable. While these consumer versions are able to screen for alcohol, the results they generate are not admissible in court.

These personal breathalyzers can be used by bars to test customers who appear too drunk to drive. If you are hosting a get together, you can use this to test guests you suspect had way too much booze. You may also keep one in your car so you can test yourself after a night out. Households with family members who are recovering alcoholics could also keep one to test visitors. This precautionary measure makes certain that the recovering alcoholic will not be tempted to go back to drinking by preventing enablers to visit.

Personal breathalyzers these days have a number of exciting functions too, which makes them somewhat multi-functional. For example, you can find breath analyzers that are built into key chains. Some also have digital clocks, countdown timers, and alarm settings. But more than their bells and whistles you should check if the device is accurate and easy to use. A number of models also need to be shipped from time to time to their manufacturer for calibration, making them somewhat not cost-effective down the road.

Reading multiple personal breathalyzer reviews can help you ascertain these aspects. Personal breathalyzer reviews, especially those made by consumers like you, will show issues otherwise not mentioned in the manufacturer's website.