Breathalyser. A man breathes into an electronic breathalyser to measure his blood- alcohol level. Electronic breathalysers use alcohol to produce an e


Breathalyser. A man breathes into an electronic breathalyser to measure his blood- alcohol level. Electronic breathalysers use alcohol to produce an electric current. Breath from the tube is drawn into a battery-like cell, where it touches a platinum electrode. The platinum causes any alcohol present to oxidise into acetic acid, releasing electrons as it does so. These electrons flow to another electrode, producing an electric current. This test is part of an occupational health examination carried out on people who must be fit and alert at work, such as bus drivers or machine operators. The computer holds a database of all the people tested.


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Photo credit: © JOHN GREIM/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: alcohol, body, breath, breathalyser, health, healthcare, intoximeter, measurement, medical, medicine, occupational, physiological, physiology, test, testing