Forensic

Alcohol

&

Alcohol Testing for DUI’s



By

K.G. Wilson

Virginia Tech Police

Department

What is Forensic Toxicology?



Toxicology

Science of poisons, embracing the physical and

chemical study of all the known poisonous

substances, as well as the methods of testing...



Toxicologists

Detect and identify any drugs or poisons present in

a person's body fluids, tissues, and organs. This

type of investigation is conducted not only on the

victim but, when possible, also on the suspected

perpetrator of the crime.

Types of Toxicologist

Descriptive Toxicologist

Performs toxicity test to evaluate the risk that

exposure poses to humans



Mechanistic Toxicologist

Attempts to determine how substances exert

deleterious effects on living organisms



Regulatory Toxicologist

Judges whether or not a substance has low

enough risk to justify making it available to the

public

Types of Alcohol





 Methanol

 Ethanol

 Isopropanol

 Butanol

Methanol

 Poisonous alcohol: a colorless, volatile,

poisonous, water-soluble liquid that is

used as a solvent, a fuel, and in antifreeze

for motor vehicles.

 Formula: CH3OH

 Toxicity & Metabolites ~ 75ml

 Also called wood alcohol or wood spirit

Ethanol

 Liquid in alcoholic beverages: a colorless

liquid with a pleasant smell that is

produced naturally from fermentation by

yeasts and other microorganisms. It is

used in alcoholic beverages, as a solvent,

and in the manufacture of other chemicals.

 Formula: C2H5OH

 Toxicity & Metabolites ~ 400-500ml

 Also called – grain alcohol

Isopropanol

 Colorless flammable alcohol used in

antifreeze: a colorless flammable alcohol

used in antifreeze and rubbing alcohol and

as a solvent. Also used in denaturant and

antiseptic

 Formula – C3H7OH

 Toxicity & Metabolites ~250ml

Butanol

 Toxic liquid: a colorless toxic liquid with

four different molecular structures

(isomers). It is used as a solvent in such

items as paint remover, and also in the

manufacture of other organic substances.

 Formula: C4H9OH

 Toxicity & Metabolites ~100ml

 Also called – butyl alcohol

Three Major Types of Alcoholic

Beverages





 Fermented

 Distilled

 Fortified

Fermented

 Beer and wine are the most commonly

fermented beverages. These beverages and

produced by allowing the fermentation process

to take place, filtering the beverage, and then

packaging it for use.

 In the U.S., beer typically has an alcohol content

of approximately 4%, where wine usually has an

alcohol content of 10-12.5%. If conditions are

optimal, then the maximum alcohol content

attained by fermentation is approximately 15%

(Home made wines)

Distilled Beverages

 All Liquors (Whisky, rum, vodka, ect.) are

distilled beverages produced by fermentation

their respective raw materials (grains, molasses,

potatoes, beets, ect.).

 The resultant mixture is distilled, a process

where the mash, wine, or other alcohol-

containing mixture is heated.

 When a solution of alcohol and water is heated,

the alcohol will boil first, since it boils at 78.3c

 As the alcohol boils, the vapors are collected

and condensed.

 Alcohol is then used to produced a distilled

beverage, which contains higher alcohol content

than do fermented beverages.

Fortified

 Wines are the most common beverages of this

type.

 Fortified wines typically contain 18-20% alcohol

and can be even higher in alcohol content,

which is achieved by either adding alcohol from

another source or by distillation.

 The wine is distilled to separate the alcohol from

the fruit juice.

 Portion of the fruit juice is removed for use in

other food products, and the distilled alcohol is

mixed with the remaining fruit juice to produce a

fortified wine.

Beverage Type

Approximate% Alcohol Content

BEER 3.5-6%

BRANDY 50%

CHAMPAGNE 10-14%

CIDER 8-10%

GIN 40-50%

VODKA 40-50%

WHISKEY 40-50%

WINE, FORTIFIED 14-30%

WINE, RED & WHITE 10-14%





In the United States, the proof of an alcoholic beverage is twice the

percentage of alcohol by volume. Meaning an 86 proof bottle of whiskey

contains 43% alcohol by volume.

Routes of Absorption



 Inhalation

 Injection

 Insertion

 Skin Contact

 Absorption from Gastrointestinal Tract

Inhalation



 62 % effective

 Ethyl alcohol is readily absorbed by lung

tissue

 Any person with a concentration of alcohol

high enough to produce a significant rise

in blood levels would irritate the tissue

lining the esophagus.

Injection



 Very Effective.

 Very easy to overdose with this method.

 Alcohol is detectable in the blood almost

immediately after injection into a muscle,

or instantaneously when administered

intravenously.

Insertion



 Enema

 Alcohol is readily absorbed by the large

intestine (colon)

Skin Contact



 Experiments have shown that no

detectable blood levels have been

obtained from alcohol rubs when the

subject could not inhale the alcohol.



 Meaning no BAC is absorbed this way.

Absorption from

Gastrointestinal Tract



 Alcohol is absorbed by various parts of the

gastrointestinal tract by:



 Mouth – mouth lining

 Stomach – 25%

 Small Intestine - 75%

Rate of Absorption



 Vary from person to person

 Individual’s body

 Alcohol begins to pass into the bloodstream

within one to two minutes after it is consumed.

 Nearly all of the ingested alcohol is absorbed

within 45 mins. During normal social drinking

conditions, alcohol is often absorbed in less than

30 mins.

Factors that affect the Rate of

Absorption



 Absorption through the stomach wall is

slow and represents only a portion of total

alcohol intake.

 Absorption through the small intestine is

rapid.

 Dilution of the alcoholic beverage and the

presence of food in the stomach affect the

rate of absorption.

What Happens when you Drink









Alcohol increases the risk of heart disease, cancer and liver failure.

When alcohol is present in the liver (1) it preempts the breakdown of fat

which accumulate within the liver cells. As fatty cells enlarge they can

rupture (2) or grow into cysts(3) that replace normal cells. After years of

heavy drinking, fibrous scar tissue(4) or cirrhosis, impedes the normal

flow of arterial and venous blood through the organ

BRAIN









Even a healthy brain (A) loses cells, but

long term heavy drinking can speed degeneration.

The alcoholic brain (B) often shows signs of

atrophy which is wasting away of body tissue, an

organ. the failure of an organ or part to grow or

develop, as because of insufficient nutrition.

Liver









Heavy drinking can cause a health liver (C)

to become fatty and enlarged (D) an early

and reversible stage of liver disease. Cirrhosis

(E) or scarring can lead to liver failure and death

Stages of Acute Alcoholic

Influence/Intoxication



 Sobriety

 Euphoria

 Excitement

 Confusion

 Stupor

 Coma

 Death

Sobriety

 No apparent influence

 Behavior nearly normal by ordinary

observation

 Slight changes detectable by special tests

Euphoria

 Mild euphoria, sociability, talkativeness

 Increase self-confidence

 Decreased inhibitions

 Decrease of attention, judgment and control

 Loss of efficiency in finer performance tests

 BAC .03 - .05

 Person also has feeling of warmth,& skin is

flushed

Excitement

 Emotional instability, decreased inhibitions

 Loss of critical judgment

 Impairment of memory, comprehension

 Decreased sensory response, increased

reaction time

 Some muscular incoordination and

slowing of reflexes

 BAC .08-.10

Confusion

 Disorientation, mental

confusion, dizziness

 Exaggerated emotional

states (fear, anger, grief)

 Disturbance of sensation

and of perception of

color, form motion

dimensions

 Decreased pain sense

 Impaired balance,

muscular incoordinations,

staggering gait, slurred

speech, double vision

 BAC .10-.15

Stupor

 Apathy, general inertia, approaching paralysis

 Marked decreased response to stimuli

 Marked muscular incoordination, inability to

stand or walk

 Vomiting, incontinence of urine and feces

 Impaired consciousness, sleep or stupor

 Vomiting

 BAC .25 or greater

Coma

 Complete unconsciousness, coma

anesthesia

 Depressed or abolished reflexes

 Subnormal temperature (low)

 Incontinence of urine and feces

 Impairment of circulation and respiration

 Possible death

 BAC .35 or greater

Death

 Death from respiratory paralysis

 BAC .50 or greater

Intoxilyzer Model 5000









The breathalyzer indirectly determines the quantity of

alcohol consumed by measuring the absorption of light by

potassium dichromate before and after its reaction to

alcohol

Field Sobriety Testing

 Horizontal Gaze

Nystagmus

 Walk and Turn

 One-leg Stand

 ABC

 Finger Dexterity Test

 Counting

 Finger to Nose

2001 National Statistics

of

Alcohol Related Offense

Driving Under the Influence

946,694 arrest

Male = 789,198 Female = 157,496



Liquor Law violation

408,203

Male = 311,971 Female = 96,232



Drunkenness

423,561

Male =365,393 Female = 58,168

2001 Virginia

Alcohol Related Offenses



• Driving under the Influence

20,622



• Liquor Laws

7,909



• Drunkenness

18,875

DUI Facts

 Traffic fatalities in alcohol-related crashes rose 4% from 17,380

(2000) to 17,448 (2001).



 17,448 represents (41% of the total traffic fatalities for the year)



 Of this 17,448 fatalities in alcohol-related crashes during 2001

represents an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 30

minutes.



 In 2001, 35% of all traffic fatalities occurred in crashes in which at

least one driver or non occupant had a BAC of 0.08 or greater.



 More than 1/3 of all pedestrians 16yrs or older killed in traffic

crashes were intoxicated.

DUI Facts cont’

 The highest intoxication rate in fatal

crashes in 2001 were recorded for drivers

21-24 years old (33%), this was followed

by ages 25-34 (28%) and 35-44 (25%)

 NHTSA estimates that minimum drinking

age laws have saved 20,970 lives since

1975.

Virginia 2001 Traffic Fatalities

 Total Fatalities - 935



 BAC (.00) - No Alcohol

595 – 64%



 BAC (0.01-0.07) - Low Alcohol

54 – 6%



 BAC > 0.08 – High Alcohol

287 – 31%



 BAC > 0.01 – Any Alcohol

340 – 36%

Virginia DUI Laws

 18.2-266 – Driving motor vehicle, engine, ect., while

intoxicated, ect.

 18.2-266.1 – Persons under age twenty-one driving

after illegally consuming alcohol; penalty

 18.2-267 – Preliminary analysis of breath to

determine alcoholic content of blood

 18.2-268.1 – Chemical testing to determine alcohol or

drug content of blood; definitions

 18.2-268.2 – Implied consent to post-arrest chemical

test to determine drug or alcohol content of blood

 18.2-268.3 – Refusal of test; procedures

 18.2-268.4 – Appeal and trial; sanctions for refusal

Laws cont’

 18.2-268.5 – Qualifications and liability of

persons authorized to take blood sample;

procedure for taking sample

 18.2-268.6 – Transmission of blood samples

 18.2-268.7 – Transmission of blood test results;

use as evidence

 18.2-268.8 – Fees

 18.2-268.9 – Assurance of breath-test validity;

use of test results as evidence.

 18.2-268.10 – Evidence of violation of 18.2-266

or of 18.2-266.1

Laws cont’

 18.2-268.11 – Substantial compliance

 18.2-268.12 – Ordinances

 18.2-269 – Presumptions for alcoholic content of

blood

 18.2-270 – Penalty for driving while intoxicated

 18.2-270.1 – Ignition interlock systems; penalty

 18.2-270.2 – Ignition interlock systems;

certification by commission on VASAP;

regulations; sale or lease; monitoring use;

reports.

 18.2-271 – Forfeiture of driver’s license for

driving while intoxicated

Laws cont’

 18.2-271.1 – Probation, education and

rehabilitation of person charged or convicted;

person convicted under law of another state.

 18.2-271.2 – Commission of VASAP

 18.2-271.3 – (repealed)

 18.2-272 – Driving after forfeiture of license

 18.2-273 – Report of conviction to Department of

Motor Vehicles

Other Va. Alcohol Laws

 4.1-100 – Intoxicated

 29.1-738.4 – Intoxicated or reckless

operation

 4.1-304 – Intoxicated persons

 18.2-388 – Public Intoxication