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- Title
Results of a Proposed Breath Alcohol Proficiency Test Program.
- Authors
Gullberg, Rod G.; Logan, Barry K.
- Abstract
ABSTRACT: Although proficiency test programs have long been used in both clinical and forensic laboratories, they have not found uniform application in forensic breath alcohol programs. An initial effort to develop a proficiency test program appropriate to forensic breath alcohol analysis is described herein. A total of 11 jurisdictions participated in which 27 modern instruments were evaluated. Five wet bath simulator solutions with ethanol vapor concentrations ranging from 0.0254 to 0.2659 g/210 L were sent to participating programs, instructing them to perform n=10 measurements on each solution using the same instrument. Four of the solutions contained ethanol only and one contained ethanol mixed with acetone. The systematic errors for all instruments ranged from −11.3% to +11.4% while the coefficient of variations ranged from zero to 6.1%. A components‐of‐variance analysis revealed at least 79% of the total variance as being due to the between‐instrument component for all concentrations. Improving proficiency test program development should consider: (1) clear protocol instructions, (2) frequency of proficiency testing, (3) use lower concentrations for determining limits‐of‐detection and ‐quantitation, etc. Despite the lack of a biological component, proficiency test participation should enhance the credibility of forensic breath test programs.
- Subjects
BREATH tests; BLOOD alcohol analysis; RANDOM breath testing; ROADSIDE sobriety tests; ALCOHOL
- Publication
Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2006, Vol 51, Issue 1, p168
- ISSN
0022-1198
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1556-4029.2005.00008.x