Alcohol does not stay as it does in a bottle. It can endanger your life, especially while driving.
Alcohol meters were first used in the mid-1900s. Of course, there are chemical reactions behind this technological solution that significantly reduces alcohol-related traffic accidents.
Why do we use a device to detect alcohol?
Towards the middle of the 1900s, the rate of use of cars increased significantly in our world. Now, in this new field, we needed new regulations. Working in a police office in the 1940s, Dr. Robert Borkenstein has developed a device that can detect blood alcohol by breathing.
With this device, it was possible to detect that people were sober enough to drive cars safely.
Since our body cannot digest alcohol, it does not change chemically.
Alcohol, which is included in the blood, evaporates towards the air sacs as it passes through the lungs. In this way, the alcohol cells in the air sacs move with our breath when we breathe. During this air exchange, alcohol comes out of our mouth.
The devices used also detect the amount of alcohol from the breath, and if it is above the specified level, you can be fined by the police. In the statement made by the Traffic Directorate, it is stated that you will be penalized if you drink more than 0.50 promil.
The method of detecting alcohol may vary.
Although the method is the same to determine the amount of alcohol, many different systems are used.
For example, while some devices detect the amount of alcohol using electrons, some devices can detect the amount of alcohol directly as a result of chemical reaction.
The workers of the breathalyzer are chemical reactions.
Although the detection method varies according to the species, the chemical reaction is the same in all of them. The person who is thought to have exceeded the alcohol limit blows into the device and exhales. First, sulfuric acid reacts, turning the air into a liquid solution.
The alcohol, which becomes liquid, reacts with potassium dichromate and splits into many substances. The red dichromate ion turns green during this reaction. Since the level of this color change is directly proportional to the alcohol content, it gives information about the alcohol level. As a result of these reactions, the state of drunkenness of the person can be determined.
You best prefer to take a taxi back home on an evening of drinking alcohol.
- Sources: HowStuffWorks, Mcgill, Madehow
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