General Information and Interesting Facts

New interesting facts and information will be constantly added here, mainly regarding alcohol testers, as well as web and mobile applications (online alcohol tests), but also general information from the perspective of detecting residual alcohol in the blood, as well as general information about alcohol.

Differences between Home and Professional Alcohol Testers

Personal (home) alcohol testers are equipped with a semiconductor sensor. It is a cost-effective technology, which is why it is used in home alcohol testers to reduce their price. Over the years, this technology has undergone many changes and continuous improvements. They are an ideal type for home use and are more than sufficient. Higher-quality home alcohol testers can even reach the level of semi-professional testers, which can also be used for basic orientation measurements of residual alcohol in the blood for company purposes.
Both more expensive and cheaper professional alcohol testers are equipped with a fuel cell sensor. It is a fuel cell. This cell does not heat up, thereby minimizing battery consumption. During the test, a sample is drawn in, where a pressure sensor controls the amount of air intake, and then a pump draws the necessary sample volume into the cell. The fuel cell then burns the alcohol in the sample and generates an electric current, which evaluates the alcohol content in the breath based on the amount of current produced. The fuel cell sensor is not affected by breath strength, negative substances, or any other influences. Therefore, by precisely sampling within the specified time and volume, we will consistently achieve accurate results. One difference between these alcohol testers is the volume of the sampled breath. The larger the volume of the sampled breath, the more accurate the result and also the longer durability. An interesting fact is that alcohol testers from the Lifeloc company are so accurate that they are used in court as conclusive blood samples.

Now let's briefly discuss the comparison of sensors in alcohol testers. Semiconductor sensors are mainly intended for hundreds of measurements with an accuracy of approximately 10% within the values up to one per mille. In contrast, fuel cell technology used in professional alcohol testers provides significantly higher values in the thousands of measurements, and the accuracy is maintained consistently throughout the entire measurement range. When used according to the manufacturer's instructions, these values can even be higher than the calibration requirements. Therefore, an alcohol tester is a suitable candidate both for corporate use due to fuel cell technology and for home use due to its affordability.

Our recommended favorite, for reasons already mentioned (fuel cell sensor) and many other reasons, is the Alteon alcohol tester. Thanks to its low price, it can also be used for home use, providing an extremely reliable and elegant alcohol tester at an unprecedented price. This alcohol tester, equipped with a fuel cell sensor, dispels the myths about the unreliability of home alcohol testers. Discover its qualities for yourself! More information can be found on the "Alteon" website.

How to take care of an alcohol tester?

It is important to realize that it is a consumer electronics device, so an alcohol tester has its lifespan and limits, and mishandling can reduce its lifespan. The sensors of alcohol testers are particularly sensitive to adverse conditions. The manufacturer specifies the sensor's lifespan and maximum number of measurements for alcohol testers. Better alcohol testers can be kept in working condition through calibration. Therefore, it is important to calibrate the alcohol tester approximately after the values specified by the manufacturer have expired or when inaccurate results are observed. If the alcohol tester is used about once a week (correct usage according to instructions), its lifespan will be significantly longer than one year, and calibration may only be needed after a very long time. However, if the alcohol tester is used daily, calibration should be anticipated for accurate results in the future. Avoid subjecting alcohol testers to extreme tests (such as competitions of consecutive breath tests by multiple people or extreme temperature conditions, and so on), and they will continue to function correctly for a long time.

Metabolism

We can divide metabolism into three basic phases: absorption, breakdown, and elimination.
The first phase is absorption. Ethanol molecules are small enough to easily pass through biological membranes due to a process called diffusion. Therefore, it can be said that ethanol can enter the bloodstream through various means such as the gastrointestinal tract, inhalation, skin, mucous membranes, and so on. However, these methods of absorption are negligible compared to the conventional oral consumption. At this stage, the absorption is below the level of elimination, meaning that visibly increasing the blood alcohol level has not occurred yet. Another important point is the stomach, where it matters whether it is empty or filled with food. If the stomach is empty, there is direct contact with the gastric mucosa, and more influence on the central nervous system compared to when the user has a full stomach, as ethanol would mix with food, resulting in lesser signs of intoxication. In the stomach, approximately 20% of the ingested alcohol is absorbed. The rest of the alcohol is absorbed in the liver, where the main metabolic process occurs.
The next phase is breakdown. The liver is the main helper in breaking down approximately 60 to 90% of alcohol. The duration of breakdown depends on the structure of human cells, weight, gender, height, and other factors. Approximately 10% of the total alcohol in the body is broken down by enzymes (such as those in the muscles). Another method is through the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system, which processes about 15% of the alcohol. It is activated with prolonged alcohol consumption when the elimination pathways are no longer sufficient. The majority of alcohol is broken down through the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase or the soluble fraction of the cell. By undergoing transformations in the so-called Krebs cycle, the final transformation occurs, resulting in carbon dioxide and water.
The last phase is elimination. Approximately 90 to 95% is eliminated through oxidation of metabolic processes. About 4 to 7% is eliminated through breath, and 1 to 3% is eliminated through urine. Other elimination methods are negligible.

What are online alcohol tests?

They are internet applications or mobile versions. Thanks to these so-called online alcohol tests, it is possible to create a graph of alcohol breakdown. They are a simulation of alcohol testers. However, it is important to note that their values cannot be considered binding. They serve as an approximate determination of residual alcohol in the blood, and the results can sometimes be highly inaccurate. But let's return to the topic of online alcohol tests themselves. After drinking seven beers in the evening, it is possible that alcohol will still be present in the body at 11 a.m., which many people find impossible. Therefore, online alcohol tests can also serve as informative tools, providing insights and shedding light on the process of human body metabolism. However, an important piece of information is that even when alcohol has disappeared from the blood, the ability to drive may still be impaired due to the persisting hangover. Most of these online alcohol tests utilize an algorithm to calculate residual alcohol in the blood. You can learn more about this calculation here "calculation algorithm", and for the application itself, where you can immediately try it out, you can visit "alcohol test".

What is alcohol?

To be prepared.

The impact of alcohol levels on driving

To be prepared.

Service and calibration of alcohol testers

To be prepared.