Alcohol+Analysis

Mason Lin/Jason Peacock Alcohol analysis of blood and urine is used to provide an indication of the type of alcoholic beverages consumed. While standard analysis through chemical methods and gas chromatography reveal the suspect’s blood alcohol content, advanced analysis involves investigating compounds called congeners that give the beverage a distinctive appearance, aroma and flavor, not including water and ethanol. This can reveal the type of alcohol consumed. Blood and urine are not the only things that can be analyzed however, things like breath and chest fluid can be used as well to determine ones blood alcohol content (BAC).
 * Alcohol Analysis **
 * Overview **

Congeners are substances other than alcohol produced during fermentation. These substances include small amounts of chemicals such as other alcohols, Methanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, esters, tannins, and aldehydes. Congeners are responsible for most of the taste and aroma of distilled alcoholic beverages, and contribute to the taste of non-distilled drinks. It has been suggested that these substances contribute to the symptoms of a hangover.
 * What are Congeners **

The theory of discovering one’s drinking habits is not new and has been investigated for ages, originally it was predominantly in Germany. But nowadays it is used in every single country for solving crime cases involving drinking. Chemical versions of Breathalyzers have been in place since the 1960’s.
 * History **

A Bachelor’s Degree in the Sciences plus two years of training or specific analysis experience is required for a career in Alcohol Analysis, it pays around $50,000 - $70,000 annually.
 * Level of Education / Salary **

Road side Breathalyzers are used frequently to quickly get a fairly accurate reading however they are not usable in a court of law, the gold standard in instruments for analyzing alcohol is a gas chromatography machine, gas chromatography is used to separate compounds into individual parts for further analysis.
 * Instruments **

Having the ability to check a person’s BAC fairly quickly through multiple methods is extremely useful in cases where it is a determining factor in the crime. Proving someone was above the legal drinking limit has become easier and the information is very accurate and holds up well in court if through professional methods (chemical/gas chromatography not roadside breathalyzer).
 * Police Aid **

Most alcohol analysis cases are exactly what you would expect, DUI’s and generally determining ones BAC through bodily fluids so while there are many, many cases involving alcohol analysis (In 2008 nearly 51,000 drinking and driving cases were heard in Canada alone). With this being said it is common for prominent actors and artists to be arrested with the aid of alcohol analysis. Rapper Flo Rida for example was arrested with a BAC of 0.185 and driving with a suspended license on June 9th 2011, that is over twice the legal BAC for operating a motor vehicle.
 * Case Example **

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 * Gas Chromatography Video **

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 * Bibliography **